By Patrick Book

Pharmacists will be able to prescribe drugs for minor illnesses

Mar 2, 2011 | 2:33 PM

paNOW

There will be less reason to panic if you leave home without your pills in the future as the province is following through on an idea it raised last year to allow pharmacists to provide drugs without first consulting a doctor.

In the coming months, changes to the College of Pharmacist's bylaws will allow pharmacists to prescribe drugs for minor illnesses.

They'll also be able to extend refills on some prescriptions and provide drugs in emergency situations.

Doctor Guruswamy Sridhar with the College of Physicians and Surgeons believes the measure will be beneficial for patients, above all else.

International Spotlight

P.A.'s Howe one of 4 Sask. born players named to Canada's World Junior roster

12h ago

National

Ottawa to remove 30% investment cap for Canadian pension funds

16h ago

Budget woes

Golf and curling centre faces grim season without financial boost

19h ago

“When they're running out of prescriptions or they need emergency supplies the patients will have access to the drugs so that their health is not in jeopardy,” he explains.

He believes it will also relieve some of the pressure on doctors, especially in rural areas.

The College of Pharmacists' Ray Joubert believes the measure should create more efficiencies, reducing the traffic in those physician's offices.

“It's in partnership with you as a patient and your doctor,” he told reporters at a news conference in Regina Wednesday. “We're not replacing physicians, that's not what this is all about. Instead of contacting a doctor for an authorization to refill the prescription and waiting for the doctor's response and so on, the pharmacist will simply make the decision to extend the refill and then advise the physician accordingly.”

Joubert admits there is the potential for some to try and scam the system by approaching multiple pharmacists and requesting a prescription.

He says training will be done so they can properly and safely diagnose the minor illnesses they would be able to offer a prescription for.

Drugs that are issued will also be kept track of using the existing computer system that links pharmacies throughout the province.

The changes should come into effect in the coming months.

news@panow.com