FREDERICTON - Starting Thursday, pharmacists in New Brunswick will be able to prescribe certain drugs without referring patients to a doctor or outpatient clinic.
Changes to the Pharmacy Act will allow pharmacists to renew some existing prescriptions, or issue a new prescription for pre-existing conditions such as allergies.
"If you've been on blood pressure medication for 10 years and you arrive at the pharmacy and there's no refills left on it, we have the ability to give you another refill based on the fact it's existing therapy," said Bill Veniot, registrar of the New Brunswick Pharmaceutical Society.
"We don't have the authority to initiate a therapy or begin something new," he said.
New Brunswick Pharmacists' Association president Dennis Abud said anyone in need of a diagnosis will be advised to see their doctor.
The expanded role does not apply to narcotics or nerve medications.
Abud said the changes will mean quicker access to medications for many patients.
"Right now they're already coming into our pharmacy and having prescriptions with no refills, and we have to send them either to outpatients or to an after hours clinic. Now the patient will be able to wait here at the pharmacy and get their prescription," he said.
Abud said keeping just some of those people out of the queues at hospital emergency rooms will improve the system.
"We do know that at least the emergency room people will be there for the right reason, not to give an extension for a prescription," he said.
Over nine million prescriptions are filled in New Brunswick each year.
Alberta has had similar legislation for more than a year, while British Columbia, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia are talking about doing the same.
New Brunswick has just over 700 pharmacists, and Abud says there is a need for more.
He says the expanded role for pharmacists in New Brunswick may help recruit more graduates to look to the province as a place to work.
