May 18, 2006
The pharmaceutical act would be updated and strengthened to improve patient safety and accountability by a new act introduced by Health Minister Tim Sale today.
Bill 41, the Pharmaceutical Act, would replace the previous legislation enacted in 1992.
"By moving to a college system for pharmacists, this act, if passed, will improve accountability and safety for patients," said Sale. "The proposed act will also ensure that pharmacists will be able to better meet the needs of today’s patients."
Drafted with extensive consultation which included the Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association, the proposed act would:
create the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba to replace the Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association;
update complaint and discipline processes modelling them after those of the College of Physician and Surgeons of Manitoba;
modernize pharmacists’ practice to include prescribing drugs under limited conditions and having greater involvement in drug and device selection, drug administration and drug regimen reviews;
allow collaborative practise between pharmacists and other regulated health-care practitioners with prescriptive authority including medicine, extended-practice nurses, registered clinical assistants and midwives;
improve access to health care in rural and northern communities by allowing pharmacy operations to include licensed off-site facilities as part of a pharmacy’s practice; and
require the college to submit an annual report to the minister of health.
"Manitobans place a high level of trust in pharmacists and the role they play in the health-care system," said Sale. "Knowing this, we want to build on that trust by making sure pharmacists have the tools to assist them in providing the best possible service to our health-care system."
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