A renewed push for supermarket giants to operate pharmacies is misguided, according to the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia.

PSA national president Warwick Plunkett said any move to allow supermarkets, such as Woolworths and Coles, to run pharmacies would ignore the contribution pharmacists play in delivering better health outcomes.

"Such a leap of logic is entirely baseless and experience overseas shows that it is quite false to believe there are major cost-saving benefits in having pharmacies in supermarkets," he said.

"The cost of prescription medications is regulated by the government so there can be no savings on these through supermarket channels."

Mr Plunkett said the onslaught of discount pharmacies had already introduced a cost-competitive retail environment into the community pharmacy sector.

"However, in the discount model, the health care aspect and the provision of professional services are often not as apparent as they might be."

His comments come after Australian Financial Review economics editor Alan Mitchell this week criticised the current pharmacy model, labelling the profession "highly protected" and "inefficient".

The statement comes just eight months after Woolworths dropped its two pharmacy trademarks.

Mr Plunkett said pharmacists should get behind the current system.

"By providing advice and professional services to consumers we can give the public access to professional health advice on a personal basis and in a friendly and appropriate environment," he said.

"As we have seen, big chains cannot do this and experience overseas show they do not want to do it."