Ontario government looking to give pharmacists more powers

DAN CEARNS The Standard

DURHAM/KAWARTHA LAKES: The Ontario government is holding consultations to explore possible new roles for the province’s pharmacists in the healthcare field.

“Starting today, the government is consulting with its partners on further expanding the ability of pharmacists to provide care, by treating additional common ailments, administering more vaccines, and performing more point-of-care testing,” an Ontario government press release stated, dated Wednesday, July 24th.

At a July 24th press conference, Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones explained the rationale behind this decision.

“Our government knows local pharmacies are one of the most convenient places for Ontarians to access the healthcare system, with over 5,000 pharmacies operating across Ontario, open late nights and on the weekends,” she said. “Pharmacists prescribing has been a huge success in Ontario. In less than one year, Ontario has become one of the leading jurisdictions, in all of Canada, in providing healthcare services through our pharmacies, making accessing care faster and easier than ever.”

Some of the new powers to give pharmacists, the Ontario government is exploring, include: ordering specific laboratory tests; administering Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pneumococcal, and Shingles vaccines at pharmacies; and treating and prescribing for ailments, such as insomnia, sore throat, mild headaches and shingles.

“In addition to providing more convenience, allowing pharmacists to connect people with more care options at their local pharmacy will also give family doctors more time to help people with more complex needs. As with visiting a family physician or walk-in clinic, Ontarians can receive a prescription from a pharmacist, for common ailments, with just their Ontario health card. The cost, of the medication being prescribed, will continue to be paid for by people directly or through their drug benefits plan,” the Ontario government press release concluded.