Ontario Expands Pharmacists’ Authority to Treat and Prescribe

Ontario has announced plans to expand the authority of pharmacists by adding a list of conditions they can treat and prescribe, aiming to reduce the burden on the health system.

The expanded powers include the authority to administer a wider variety of vaccines and order some tests, in addition to treating minor illnesses.

Pharmacists see this expansion as a way to provide more accessible healthcare, while doctors express concerns about patient safety and the potential for misdiagnosis.

Expanded List of Treatable Conditions

The province initially gave pharmacists the authority to treat 13 minor illnesses, including pink eye, hemorrhoids, and urinary tract infections. Six more illnesses have been added to the list, including acne, canker sores, and yeast infections.

The new expansion includes sore throats, corns and calluses, minor headaches, shingles, minor sleep problems, fungal nail infections, external ear infections, lice, stuffy nose, dandruff, roundworms, itchy groin, warts, and dry eyes.

Ontario Expands Pharmacists’ Authority to Treat and Prescribe. Getty Images

Vaccine Administration and Testing

The state will also fund pharmacists to administer tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, pneumococcal, shingles, and RSV vaccines to adults, in addition to COVID-19 and influenza vaccines. Pharmacy technicians will also be authorized to administer the same vaccines as pharmacists.

Reactions from Pharmacists and Doctors

Justin Bates, CEO of the Ontario Pharmacists Association, believes the program for treating minor ailments is going well and that further expanding the scope of pharmacists’ work would allow residents to get help without having to visit their family doctor or emergency room.

However, Dominic Novak, president of the Ontario Medical Association, argues that pharmacists are not equipped to fulfill the role of physicians, who undergo years of training to diagnose and treat diseases. He expresses concerns about patient safety and the potential for misdiagnosis.