CMA Frowns on Prescribing Rights for Pharmacists

NEWS

Inside . . . City says no to medical mercury 78 Sign ends fight between MD, patients 78 CMA frowns on prescribing rights for pharmacists Youth will be served by Romanow 79 First the Romanow report, The Pharmacists Association of Alberta The push for the new powers started then the opinions on it 79 (PAA) says its members should be as a discussion at a conference 3 years Universal health care for Oregon? granted expanded powers to prescribe ago, but gained momentum after sub- Not a chance, voters say 80 medication, but the CMA is less than missions for health reform concerning On-call duties: more than 7.5 days enthusiastic about the idea. the province’s Health Professions Act a month for 25% of surgeons 80 The PAA wants the province to give were requested last year. Alberta’s 3054 pharmacists prescriptive “Pharmacists have been ranked by authority within 18 months. “If a pharma- the public in many surveys as the most best interest. There is a very definite set cist is practising in a certain environment trusted health care professionals,” said of skills that are refined and honed be- where [she has] a relationship with the pa- Holzmann. “We just want to ensure that fore a physician can enter practice, and tient and the patient’s physician and [has] patients get the best drug therapy for pharmacists do not have this.” the appropriate facilities and information, their situation, and we feel that that will Hanson says that while pharmacists [she] would be allowed to prescribe translate into lower costs.” offer convenience, they cannot replace a drugs,” said Trudy Holzmann, the PAA CMA President Dana Hanson is physician’s multidisciplinary services. president. “With 5 years of university skeptical. “The CMA does not agree “One has to put the patient first. If you study, pharmacists have by far the most with pharmacists having the right to come into your pharmacy and you’ve got drug education. It makes sense that they prescribe,” he said. “We feel very a cough, is the pharmacist going to take be involved in drug therapy decisions.” strongly that this is not in the patient’s off your shirt and listen to your chest? “We’re not saying that there isn’t an important role for pharmacists in a col- laborative setting — there is. But there CIHR honours “cutting-edge” researchers is a very firm line that has to be drawn with prescribing.” Dr. K.S. Joseph, an associate editor at CMAJ for 4 Jeff Poston, executive director of the years before he left to pursue a research career at Dal- Canadian Pharmacists Association, says housie University 18 months ago, is 1 of 5 Canadian prescribing powers would be a natural researchers to receive major awards from the Canadian extension of the pharmacist’s role. He Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). said they already have prescriptive au- Joseph, an associate professor of perinatal epidemiol- thority for some drugs, such as those ogy at Dalhousie, received the Peter Lougheed/CIHR containing codeine. New Investigator Award during a Nov. 20 ceremony in As well, pharmacists in 3 provinces Toronto. It “is given to Canada’s brightest young health have already been allowed to prescribe researchers at the beginning of their careers.” emergency birth control, such as the The other recipients were: morning-after pill, and pharmacists in • Dr. Anthony Pawson (Samuel Lunenfeld Research some US states are allowed to adminis- Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto) — Michael ter vaccinations. In the UK, it was re- Smith Prize in Health Research, which recognizes in- cently proposed that pharmacists and novation, creativity, leadership and dedication to nurses be given “supplementary pre- health research. scribing” rights for select drugs. • Dr. Janet Rossant (Samuel Lunenfeld Research Insti- “This is part of a global trend,” said tute) and Dr. Samy Suissa (Royal Victoria Hospital, Poston, “and that’s because it has the po- Montreal) — CIHR Distinguished Investigator awards, tential to take a huge load off family which honour outstanding work by Canadian researchers Joseph: one of “Canada’s physicians. There’s already a wide degree recognized as international leaders in their fields. brightest young health of leeway that some physicians give phar- • Dr. Jean Shoveller (Centre for Community Health researchers” macists to change some of their prescrip- and Health Evaluation Research, University of British tions, and we just want to build on those Columbia) — Dorothy J. Lamont Scientist Award, which honours excellence in relationships. It’s a matter of legislation the field of cancer control research. catching up to practical realities.” Joseph’s research topics include the perinatal effects of delayed childbirth. His The Alberta proposal came as Roy award is worth $525 000 — $275 000 in salary support over the next 5 years and Romanow prepared to release his report $250 000 in an unencumbered research allowance over the next 3 years. He said on medicare. The report devoted an en- the award will give his career a “very important” boost. “I’m [also] hoping that it tire chapter — 21 pages — to prescrip- will make me a little more contemplative.” CIHR President Alan Bernstein says tion drugs, and another chapter to pri- the awards “are synonymous with exceptional, internationally recognized, cutting- mary care reform, including the edge research.” — Patrick Sullivan, CMAJ relationship between pharmacists and physicians. — Brad Mackay, Toronto

CMAJ • JAN. 7, 2003; 168 (1) 77