Transforming and Supporting Patient Care - Health Professions ...

347Chapter 14 – Profession of PharmacyThe OCP said that pharmacists should not be restricted in medicationtherapy management by the creation of lists of classes of drugs.Pharmacists are expected to be familiar with clinical guidelines andpharmacotherapeutics. Creating a specific or defined list of drugs wouldseverely restrict the ability of pharmacists to optimize patients’ drugtherapy. 13The OCP states:To fully realize their roles in Medication Therapy Management,pharmacists will be called upon to adapt, modify, adjust doses andextend prescriptions for numerous drugs. The College expectspharmacists to exercise sound professional judgment when makingappropriate decisions and recommendations and does not support thecreation of a defined list of drugs or categories. It is our view that sucha list will not afford the flexibility necessary to accommodate changingdrug therapies or treatment modalities as they emerge and couldultimately limit the desired benefits to the public. 14The OCP also described its experience in the regulation approval processas follows:...[It] is our experience that the current process required to give effectto proposed regulatory changes or amendments is time consuming,onerous and fraught with ongoing delays and frustrations. As anexample, the College initially submitted regulatory amendments underthe Drug and Pharmacies Regulation Act (DPRA) to government in 1995;in the past twelve years that the proposals have been with government,emerging issues in the practice of the profession have resulted inCollege Council adding to or further revising the initial proposals. Todate we have been unable to attract the necessary attention or politicalinterest/will to give effect to these regulations which will greatly assistthe College in more effectively regulating pharmacy practice in Ontarioin the public interest. 15The OPA indicated that restricting pharmacists to refilling classes of drugs,rather than exempting classes that cannot be refilled or modified such asnarcotics, controlled drugs and targeted substances could be onerous. 16What HPRAC FoundReadiness for ChangeThe OCP and OPA state clearly that medication therapy management is partof pharmacists’ core competencies at the entry-to-practice level. Theeducators have confirmed that this is the case based on the rigorous fouryeareducation curriculum and the National Qualifying Examination,administered by the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) and13Ibid. 55.14Ibid. 54.15Ibid. 55.16OPA Submission to the HPRAC Review of Non-Physician Prescribing and Administration of Drugs: 18.HPRAC Critical Links January 2009