January/February 2009 - Ontario College of Pharmacists

new prescriptions for certain Schedule
l drugs for minor ailments.
There is a significant difference
between a pharmacist “modifying,
adapting or extending an already written/existing
prescription” and a pharmacist
“initiating a prescription for a
Schedule l drug “, whether for a minor
ailment or not. We resist making the
distinction at our peril. Differentiating
between the two will be especially important
going forward, and identifying
who can do what, and within what
terms and conditions.
To maintain some consistency
amongst the various health professions
who prescribe now and in the future,
HPRAC is proposing the creation of
specific drug lists, or lists of drug classes/categories
that respective professions
would be able to prescribe. The
College does not support the need for
a defined list of drugs or drug classes or
categories for those prescribing activities
associated with medication therapy
management-modifying, adapting,
or extending already-written prescriptions.
With the exception of narcotic
and controlled substances where we
could support an exception, we believe
all pharmacists have the knowledge,
skills and ability to appropriately exercise
their professional judgement respecting
any prescriptions they receive.
Confining pharmacists to a specific or
limited list of drugs when exercising
professional judgement respecting prescriptions
already written by another
practitioner would be counterproductive
, and in our view, would seriously
limit the pharmacists ability and effectiveness
in managing medication therapy
for their patients
The College could consider a defined
list more appropriate for pharmacists
or any emerging prescribing
professionals who initiate drug therapy.
The College is concerned that
all pharmacists do not currently have
the necessary training, competency
or confidence to conduct the level of
assessment needed before initiating
a prescription drug for any ailment.
Our public protection mandate leads
us to proceed more cautiously in supporting
pharmacist initiation of Schedule
l drugs- first ensuring that additional
education and training was available
and mandatory for all pharmacists
and then working with educators,
pharmacists and other professions to
determine which ailments and drugs
could appropriately and safely be routinely
initiated by pharmacists.
These are very exciting times! While
ongoing and often competing economic
challenges facing the retail businesses
where Pharmacy is commonly practiced
may continue, there are before
pharmacists now unprecedented and
tremendous opportunities that we
must, as a health care profession embrace
with enthusiasm but also with
the respectful caution that is needed
to optimize the care of your patients in
a safe, responsible way- the future of
our profession depends on this. Be assured
that the College will continue to
do its part to ensure all pharmacists are
able to work to their fullest ability and
scope- the rest is up to you.
pharmacyconnection • January/February 2009
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