Posted on 07/13/2006 12:58:06 PM PDT by Stoat
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Druggists seeking power to prescribe
Plan allows pharmacist to act without doctor's consent
Tuesday, July 11, 2006 OTTAWA - Many Canadians may soon have to travel no further than their neighbourhood pharmacy to treat what ails them and critics are up in arms over changes they say will turn pharmacists into pill-pushing entrepreneurs intent on over-medicating the population. A growing number of Canadian pharmacists want the power to prescribe drugs without a doctor's consent. The controversy erupted recently when Alberta declared it was moving forward with a plan to let pharmacists independently prescribe most medications. Earlier this month, New Brunswick pharmacists announced they want the powers as a way to improve service to residents. ADMINISTER VACCINES In Alberta, many details have yet to be worked out, but under proposed changes, pharmacists there will be able to prescribe certain drugs, administer vaccines and refill prescriptions, although certain addictive medications, such as narcotics, will still require a visit to the doctor. Proponents say letting pharmacists fill new prescriptions will benefit patients because it gives them more options and greater convenience. "It's to allow medical professionals to practise to the full scope of their training," said Alberta Ministry of Health and Wellness spokesman Howard May. But consumer advocates say allowing pharmacists -- who don't have the same expertise or relationship with patients as physicians -- to prescribe a host of drugs is just asking for trouble. "I can't imagine my pharmacist being my prescriber. I just can't imagine it. He doesn't have anywhere near the knowledge required to make a meaningful decision about medication for me," said Louise Binder, chair of the Best Medicines Coalition, a national advocacy group. She said it "really isn't possible" for pharmacists to prescribe drugs as effectively as a physician because they aren't as familiar with a patient's medical history. Traditionally, pharmacists have been watchdogs to ensure that the prescriptions being written by doctors are safe and appropriate, but giving them prescribing power removes pharmacists from this role -- and means no one is acting as a watchdog over them, said Wendy Armstrong, board member and former president of the Consumers' Association of Alberta. "Pharmacists, they're in the business of promoting product," she said. "It's a business, and it's a booming business -- and it's a very concentrated business in Canada." She said pharmacists will have an economic incentive to prescribe drugs and ask patients to come in for tests or screenings, even if they're useless or not needed. "The problems that we have in Canada -- with what some describe as out-of-control marketing and prescribing of drugs -- it's not going to improve when we add hundreds, if not thousands, of prescribers to the prescribing list. We have serious problems that have been very difficult to address," she said. The president of the Alberta Pharmacists' Association dismissed claims made by advocacy groups that pharmacists will abuse new powers. "Pharmacists are professionals," said Trudy Holzmann. "They work under a code of ethics and a code of conduct. As any professional would, (pharmacists will) only be making decisions in the best interest of the patient." Under the new system, customers won't be able to come in and demand any medication they want, Holzmann said. Rather, they need to be assessed by a pharmacist, who will then determine what, if any, treatment is needed. "I, as a professional, need to make sure I have sufficient information, know them sufficiently," Holzmann said. Pharmacists will be able to take training to upgrade or refresh their skills as the new regulations come into place, she said. As with other health care professionals, regulatory bodies are responsible to ensure that no pharmacists abuse the system, she said. Holzmann emphasized the fact that customers need to have a relationship not only with the pharmacist, but also with a physician who can closely examine their condition. Alberta's Health Ministry also dismissed safety concerns, saying it hasn't heard from anyone who is worried about the growing power of pharmacists. |
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Pharmaceutical Insurance about to RISE!
It used to be that way in the U.S.
Doctors are often even not as well informed as pharmacists, expecially in the increasing area of drugs that are adversely affected by other drugs.
Then these idiots would start getting kickbacks from the drug pushers (I mean companies).
Yeah! Only certified medical doctors are supposed to do that!
sw
Good idea.
Better still would be to abolish the requirement for prescriptions for those under 21.
excuse me. over 21 I meant of course.
roflol!
Duh, not if the patients don't want to be 'over medicated'. As if it's not already like that now. I don't think doctors force anyone to take medication they don't want nor will pharmacists. They have the patients best interest in mind. They aren't going to try to kill them by over-medicating them.
I doubt the doctors would care anyway. The patients usually talk more to their pharmacist than they do to their doctor. If their pharmacist is worth anything they will work WITH the doctor FOR the patient.
You obviously don't know anything about the drug companies, pharmacists or the detailed records the FEDERAL & STATE Government REQUIRES you to keep. They can walk in and demand to see any of your records at any time, period.
Well, this is Canada. I wonder if this isn't an attempt by government to reduce pressure on the socialized health care system by having patients bypass physicians for commonly perscribed medications. It would save the government system some $$$.
Don't forget that this is Canada, not the U.S. in this article. Same logic is likely true, though.
Sounds very plausible. It's a terrible tragedy that this is being done at the risk to the patients, however. By removing the person from the healthcare chain who not only is intimately familiar with the patient's complete medical history but also is uniquely trained, equipped and staffed to evaluate and assess the patient's current condition based upon factors and etiologies far more diverse and broadly based than those pertaining to pharmacology, it will only be a matter of time before there will be some undesirable and entirely preventable outcomes.
clinical pharmacists in the US can do this now-i go to the VA for my medical care and my clinical pharmacist,who has the title Dr. and a lot of training can prescribe or modify my physician's prescriptions-they know a lot more about the medications and their effects,interactions,etc.than MD's do-i have really great respect for them and my health has improved recently-of course they work in close coordination with my MD
It would certainly be nice if all pharmacists were trained, licensed and staffed to the level of the one you mention.
I work in very busy pharmacy and let me say the pharmacist's as well as the techs catch many, many medication mistakes made by doctors. I would trust a pharmacists opinion about medications before most doctors. I think the doctors are so busy they just cant keep up with all the new drugs as well as the many interactions prescription and OTC drugs can cause.
I'm delighted that you have a high opinion of the people that you work with; that makes for a healthy working environment. I'm delighted also that the pharmacists are doing exactly what they are supposed to do, which is to verify and, if necessary, confirm a prescription as ordered by the MD. That's one of the many advantages of having specialists in medicine who are educated and trained on specific and sometimes comparatively narrow career tracks.
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