Pharmacy Corner
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06/06/2008

Ontario pharmacists may soon get prescribing responsibilities

Ontario patients could soon get drug prescriptions from their local pharmacist, reports the Canadian Press. Ontario may be the next province on the road towards granting pharmacists greater prescribing authority after Alberta expanded the role of pharmacists last year, allowing them to prescribe some drugs, give drug refills and inject vaccinations. New Brunswick and Manitoba are also moving forward with similar legislation.

With long wait times in the emergency rooms and doctors’ offices, granting pharmacists the authority to prescribe medication may be a proactive approach to alleviating the stress placed on doctors. Health Minister George Smitherman makes a point of noting that pharmacists go to school for just about as long as doctors do. If we can employ them more effectively as front-line health-care providers, that could be advantageous to patients. Expanding the duties of pharmacists may be especially beneficial for those living in rural areas where residents have more access to pharmacies than a doctor’s office.

Executive Director of the Canadian Pharmacist’s Association, Jeff Poston suggests that as “other provinces and countries around the world are increasing the authority of pharmacists…it’s likely Ontario will follow suit”.

To learn more the full article can be found at www.ctv.ca.