Why Not Have Pharmacists Prescribe Drugs?

September 1st, 2007

The following excerpt is from a 2005 study published at the University of Alberta and titled “Pharmacists and Prescribing Rights: Review of International Developments.”

The introduction of limited prescribing rights to pharmacists
has the potential to reduce fragmentation within the health
system, optimize medication management, improve continuity
of patient care and improve patient access to medicine.
Source: http://www.ualberta.ca/~csps/JPPS8(2)/LEmmerton/pharmacists.pdf

In the study the writers examine pharmacists who have prescribing rights (to different degrees) in eight studies involving four separate countries: Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

In Alberta
Currently prescribing rights are held by pharmacists in Alberta although both Manitoba and New Brunswick have plans to set up systems of their own. Since 2006 the Pharmacist Profession Regulation Act in Alberta has allowed pharmacists to prescribe drugs if they have extra training in those fields. They are not allowed to prescribe barbiturates, narcotics or steroids and, in general, the response from patients has been positive.

Canadian Health Care
Right now in Canada the health care system is being stressed due to the growing population and sick people are sometimes not receiving access to medical care as quickly as they should. One solution to this is to allow properly trained pharmacists to prescribe drugs, a solution that will make the system work more efficiently.

It is in part to make the system work better that the Government of Manitoba passed the Pharmaceutical Act on December 7 of 2006. In legal terms the relevant section looks like this:

Included practices
2 (2) A member who meets the qualifications set out in the regulations may, subject to any restrictions or conditions set out in the regulations, engage in any of the following practices in the course of practicing pharmacy:
(a) prescribe drugs that are designated in the regulations for the purpose of this clause;
(b) administer drugs that are designated in the regulations for the purpose of this clause;
(c) interpret patient-administered automated tests that are designated in the regulations;
(d) order and receive reports of screening and diagnostic tests that are designated in the regulations.

That act will come into effect soon and will allow licensed pharmacists to order and receive diagnostic tests, interpret patient-administered tests, and prescribe and administer drugs. In the end it would be hard for me to say it better than the University of Alberta study:

If pharmacists are to be granted the right to prescribe,
they must also accept the inherent responsibilities.

I’ll tell the truth, some of us pharmacists are willing to accept those responsibilities, willing, ready and, indeed, eager.