Ontario pharmacists are expected to be allowed to prescribe drugs for minor illnesses. An Ontario pharmacist who was part of the provincial advisory group reviewing the change said it would benefit most Ontario residents.
Nardin Nahla, a pharmacist and professor at the University of Waterloo, supported the idea, saying such a move would allow more residents to access occupational health care in a more convenient way and ensure disruption to the conventional healthcare system.
“Currently, patients with mild illness who need prescribed therapy should visit their doctor, clinic or local hospital,” Nahla said.
“Often patients wait days for an appointment or end up visiting a clinic or emergency department. Allowing pharmacists to provide support for these patients will improve the efficiency of the health care system and the patient’s experience,” she said.
Nahal said more than 95 percent of Ontario patients live within five miles of a community pharmacist, adding that those community pharmacists are readily available and familiar with the drugs.
She said the change would be just another way for pharmacists to support their patients, especially outside the traditional working hours of nine to five in many medical offices.
Pharmacists also serve patients in many other practices, from hospitals to long-term care facilities, to family health teams and others, where expanding services will have an impact, Nahla said.
She described mild illness as a health condition that patients can reliably diagnose on their own and can be managed with self-care strategies or minimal treatment, which may include prescription drugs.
The proposed amendment to the regulation will allow pharmacists to prescribe the following conditions:
- Urinary tract infections
- Dermatitis, such as atopic, eczema, allergic and contact
- Insect bites and hives, including tick bites
- Conjunctivitis
- Allergic rhinitis
- Candida stomatitis or oral thrush
- Labialis herpes, also known as cold sores
- hemorrhoids
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD
- Dysmenorrhea or menstrual cramps
- Musculoskeletal sprains and strains
- impetigo
Nahla said the Ontario proposal is still under consideration, although the practice is allowed in most Canadian provinces.
“We still don’t know exactly when pharmacists will be able to provide these services. If final approval happens quickly, the changes could take effect as early as July 1, 2022. If the approval takes longer, the implementation date could be postponed until January 1, 2023, “she said.
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