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DECEMBER 17, 2014
Vital frontline health care providers
 Accessible
 Medication experts
 Most trusted of all professions (Ipsos-Reid 2011)
 Highly educated and trained

Undergrad & 4 year BSc. (Pharmacy)
DAL moving to PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy) Program
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Give flu shots, and other vaccines or injections
 shingle vaccines, travel vaccines, birth control
Help patients stop smoking
 Prescribe certain medications
 Adapt prescriptions
 Advise on and treat minor ailments
 Provide training for devices such as blood pressure monitors,
puffers and blood sugar meters
 Review medications and monitor chronic health conditions
 Fit braces and crutches

Coughs and Colds
71%
Pre-Menstrual or Menstrual Pains
65%
Acne, Cold Sores & Skin Conditions
29%
41%
30%
37%
27%
Somewhat Likely
5% 6% 5%
24%
22%
Not Very :Likely
23%
26%
Not at all Likely
5% 5%1%
9%
28%
42%
Minor Sprains and Muscle Strains
Very Likely
25%
55%
Monitoring Chronic Conditions
5%3%
0%
26%
58%
Preventative Health Measures
Screening for STDs
20%
62%
Vaccinations
Blood and Urine Tests
21%
8%
6% 4%
16%
11% 1%
18%
11% 1%
15%
21%
DK/NA
8% 1%
1%
3%
Easier and faster access to health care for NBers
 Allows pharmacists to assess and treat common minor ailments with
prescription medication

Monitor patient outcomes
Referring patients to physicians when necessary
32 minor ailments such as diaper rashes, cold sores and heartburn
 Does not require new infrastructure
 Better serves the needs of the public who are already turning to their
pharmacists for the treatment of minor ailments

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Immunization
 Pharmacists could do all routine immunizations (Whooping Cough, Pneumonia)

Minor ailment assessments
 Pilot project proposal now with Department of Health for eight minor ailments

Medication reviews for seniors & chronic disease patients (diabetics)
 Expansion of current program
 Significant # of patients in ER related to adverse medication issues
 As many as 30% of ER visits are related to medication misuse. One third result in
hospitalization
Total drug expenditures have declined by $29M in NB last year
Generic
Brand
Total
2012
$267,619,090
$369,643,357
$637,262,447
2013
$223,425,428
$384,856,635
$608,282,063
($44.2)
$15.2
($29M)
For every 1% increase in the use of generic
medicine, New Brunswick would have saved $8
million in 2013
In Canada, 66% of prescription medications dispensed are generic compared to
86% in the United States.
In Canada, the average price of a brand-name prescription is $80.88 while the
average cost of a generic prescription is only $22.11
Developing plan to increase uptake on generic drugs in private and
public health plans

Developing and implementing a strategy to improve regional
cooperation in drug purchasing and drug access

Directing their officials to provide detailed timelines to define potential
savings and re-investment objectives

1)
2)
3)
Renewed agreement between pharmacists and province
Continuation of Pharmacy Affairs Working Group
Commitment to increased scope of practice
 Immunization services
 Minor ailments
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Pharmacists can provide more health care services in an efficient
manner
NBers want to access more health care services from their pharmacists
The expanding the role of pharmacists can help save health care money
and improve access to care
Pharmacists want to work with Gov’t to improve the health care system
Renewed agreement is essential to moving forward
Pharmacy Affairs Working Group is essential to finding savings and
developing better health services