Eastern Ontario pharmacists ready for more expanded powers
At Reddendale Pharmacy in Kingston, Ont., pharmacist Allan D’Souza is ready to hand out more help, and prescriptions, to his customers.
On Thursday, the Ontario government announced in its 2023 budget that pharmacists are being given the power to prescribe new medications come the fall.
Those include for medications that treat
- Moderate acne
- Canker sores
- Diaper dermatitis
- Yeast infections
- Pinworms and threadworms
- Nausea and vomiting related to pregnancy
In January, the Ford government started to allow pharmacists to prescribe for 13 of the most common ailments, things like cold sores and insect bites.
D’Souza says the new list shows that there’s confidence the system is working.
"It’s kind of, just showing there’s been a benefit and we can increase that benefit," he says.
D’Souza says it is another tool to help patients and go beyond over-the-counter medications.
"We’ve recently did some renovations, hired new staff in preparation for this,” he says. "There's been new software developed to help pharmacies work with all this, do some of the triage and make sure we’re not missing certain red flags."
The move is in the hopes of easing the burden on hospitals and physicians during a critical doctor's shortage.
Despite pushback from some doctors about the expanded powers, many patients say they feel confident about the decision.
Michael Spencer says that while he has a family physician, he would still use a pharmacist if given the option.
"There are wait lines, and there are people that are usually a lot sicker than I usually am, and if I can reduce the wait times that I can see a doctor…I certainly would."
Pharmacists will now have to balance more patient care, filling prescriptions and giving out COVID-19 and flu shots, but D’Souza says they are ready.
"We’re figuring it out and it’s a welcome challenge to have," he says.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.