New powers granted to Quebec pharmacists, Report

Starting today, Quebecers can skip the emergency room and go straight to their local pharmacist for some basic medical services in the province.

These services include extending a prescription to avoid an interruption in treatment or prescribing medication when the diagnosis and treatment is known, like for urinary tract infections, or if a diagnosis is not required, like prescribing an anti-nausea medication to a pregnant woman. Pharmacists may also interpret test results and substitute one medication for another if one is out of stock.

The proposed agreement reached between the Association québécoise des pharmaciens propriétaires (AQPP) means that RAMQ or private insurers will pay for four of these new activities. The government proposed to assume the costs of three tasks, but the negotiations that concluded Friday added a fourth, Joanne Beauvais said.

The members of the AQPP, who had denounced a $177 million cut in their fees, still must approve the agreement at a general assembly, but pharmacists will still be able to begin to provide the seven new services on Saturday, the group said in a statement.

Agencies/Canadajournal