On February 13th, 2012 Honourable Fred Horne, Minister of Health and Wellness, announced large changes to how pharmacists will be remunerated as of July 1st this year. Pharmacists across the province have been anticipating a change in how they are compensated for the many health services they provide not directly attached to the dispensing of prescription medications, however the announcement last week was disappointing and again leaves pharmacies to grapple with yet another cut in revenues and waiting on a promise to fund professional services that are proven time and again, to be of huge value to patient health outcomes.

The following changes to the compensation framework were made (see AHS news release for full publication):

1)    The government will reduce the amount they pay for generic drugs by 85 million dollars. While this looks like it will be a blow to generic drug companies, the financial loss will be to pharmacies across the province.

2)    20 million dollars will be directed to pharmacists for prescription renewals. It was explained that when a patient has a prescription renewed by their pharmacist, the government will pay a fee of $20 to the pharmacy.

3)    5.3 million dollars will go to support rural pharmacies in 2012/2013 as part of a three-year 15.9 million dollar Remote Pharmacy Access Grant   This recognizes that this 85million dollar reduction in revenues to pharmacies will have a huge impact on the business of pharmacy.  Therefore...

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This is Part 3 in a series that we have elected to focus on the pharmaceutical industry as it pertains to describing the pharmaceutical industry, the supply of drugs and the development of some intelligent measures focused on providing Canadians a healthcare system that is one of the best in the world.    Care has been taken to make certain the information shared is accurate, the opinions are those of the author and do not reflect the opinions, or the philosophies of staff or management.    The series is provided to inform and stimulate discussion among concerned Canadians.     Access to healthcare for all Canadians is a philosophy that people in other parts of the globe have identified as characteristically Canadian not so different than those other Canadian attributes such as our game is hockey;  the maple leaf and our reputation for being "those nice, polite people living in the frozen north"

EnviRx: Alberta Program

There are statistics being maintained that report as late as 2010, Albertan's through some 650 participating pharmacies in Alberta have brought in for disposal 55 metric tonnes of drug products.  That includes prescription medications and non-prescription medications such as over the counter cough and cold products, pain medications and the like.   You have to admit that 55 metric tonnes is a large number and although we don’t have a dollar value to attach to this, that too must be an even larger number.   There is no doubt th...

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Your Pharmacist.  Your Partner in Health.

Your Health, Your Pharmacist.

We all want to be as healthy as we can be so we can enjoy full, happy lives with our families and loved ones.  Remember that your pharmacist is a highly trained and accessible health professional who can help you take charge of your health.

Make sure your medicines work for you.

Be sure to shop at one pharmacy so the pharmacy team can keep track of all your medications.  This will help your pharmacist to identify any potential drug interactions with prescription medications as well as over-the-counter drugs, vitamins and herbal remedies.  Your pharmacist is always available to talk to you about your medications and the conditions they treat.

Your picture of health, living with a chronic condition.

If you have a chronic disease, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, your pharmacist can help.  Your pharmacist will help you understand your condition and how to treat it.  They’ll also know if you need to go back to your doctor for a change in you medication or for further follow-up.

Talk to your pharmacist!!

Ask for a few minutes o...

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This is Part 2 in a series that we have elected to focus on the pharmaceutical industry as it pertains to describing the pharmaceutical industry,   the supply of drugs and the development of some intelligent measures focused on providing Canadians a healthcare system that is one of the best in the world.    Care has been taken to make certain the information shared is accurate, the opinions are those of the author and do not reflect the opinions, or the philosophies of staff or management.    The series is provided to inform and stimulate discussion among Canadians who are concerned about our drug supply system; how we use this valuable tool and how we manage the consumption of this therapeutic tool.     Access to healthcare for all Canadians is a philosophy that people in other parts of the globe have identified as characteristically Canadian not so different than those other Canadian attributes such as our game is hockey;  the maple leaf and our reputation for being "those nice, polite people living in the frozen north".

We’re Only 42 Million

Our previous post introduced the problems Canada is experiencing with many, long standing shortages of prescription drugs, with a description of the many elements involved in the development of the current shortage that we continue to experience.    Now we add to this already complicated supply formula the demands of the Canadian consumer who continue to look for cheaper alternatives to existing drugs, better...

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Reading our previous post , you have to appreciate that "those were the days"!   Pharmacists' working in the apothecary, surrounded by wooden counters and drawers filled with all manner of ingredients - some powders, some dried herbs, the occasional item the origin of which only the pharmacist knew for sure.   Although it has been rumored that the secret ingredient was anything we would expect today.   After all, at least one common "soda pop" which beget a love affair with North American culture with it's secret ingredient, cocaine which has since been removed, but no wonder "things go great", when drinking a bottle.  So, who knows what ingredients made their way into the medicines of the last couple of centuries, even under the knowledgeable supervision of the pharmacist.

That was then of course, what with the introduction of commercially available drugs in every dosage form imaginable, the role of the pharmacist changed as did the relationships with the patients.   In many ways, this was a good thing because it now allowed the pharmacist the time to focus more on the use of the medication rather than the preparation and for that matter,  sometimes the collection of medicines.

Think of us now as therapeutic problem solvers!   We view our patient holistically and not just with a focus on the drug or even just on the drug therapy.    Pharmacists have to consider the patient's medical history; their current health status; previous drug therapy response...

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Pharmacy has come a long way over the ages. 

The first practitioner of the art and science of pharmacy is considered to be the alchemist, physician, astrologer by the name of Paracelsus.   This 16th Century practitioner, who received some of his early training as a result of work he did, as he traveled to several different mines in Europe.   That means he was exposed to chemistry as it was known then, or more accurately "alchemy".   Curiously, Paracelsus "the physician" was a practitioner of Homeopathy, not the norm during that era.   Homeopathy is based on the premise that "like treats like" and  the preparation involves a dilution series as well as a "succusion" step between each dilution.   In other words, the dilution was not the potentiating characteristic so much as the succusion of the dilution of the herbal mother tincture in what was usually alcohol in water.    This mention of homeopathy is to illustrate the complete unorthodox nature of his approach to medicine, in many ways.

As time moved forward, medicinal agents took on many different forms.   We think of medicine today in the form of the blister packaged oral capsule with tiny little "time release pellets".    We had to wait for this form of drug for some time.  Between the time of Paracelsus and even the early North American pioneers making their way across the continent, medicines were used in the forms of liquids, powders, insufflations, and salves. 

There was period of time...

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