Pharmacists say drug-monitoring program not a 'magic cure'

The New Brunswick Pharmacists' Association supports the new prescription-monitoring program that will begin rolling out in the province by the end of the year, but CEO Paul Blanchard warns it won't be a "magic cure" for the problem of prescription drug abuse.

"We know that the people who are dealing with addiction issues will certainly be seeking other products so the implementation of prescription-monitoring, in and of itself, isn't going to cure the addiction issues," Blanchard told Information Morning Moncton.

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Blanchard says pharmacists regularly report cases where they suspect patients are abusing prescription narcotics and have visited multiple doctors and multiple pharmacies.

The new monitoring program will mean all customers must provide more personal information to their pharmacy.

"For example all New Brunswickers, when this program is rolled out, will have to bring a medicare card into the pharmacy," Blanchard said.

"You can't opt out and say, 'Look I don't want someone to see my information,' otherwise the program is not useful."

More addiction programs will be needed

Blanchard explains the system must be accessible to doctors, dentists and nurse practitioners who will have to consult the database before writing a prescription for a narcotic.

We think that the government should have a program in place and should be aware that there's going to be an influx and a need for services around addiction.- Paul Blanchard

"You'll be able now to see, in terms of your patient, where this patient has been before to get a sense of the history of that patient — before the prescriber decides, 'Yes, I'm going to go ahead and prescribe this drug.'"

Blanchard said pharmacists will also have a responsibility to check the database and refuse to fill a prescription until they are satisfied it is legitimate.

"So if you've been to Dr. Jones yesterday to get an opiate and now you've shown up to the ER in Moncton today ... and you've got a different prescription, a pharmacist should be able to intercept that and to be able to intervene," he said.

"To say, 'Look. we can't dispense this today,' or, 'We need to contact this doctor to find out what exceptional circumstances exist that you're getting this prescription twice in a row.'"

Pharmacists have expressed concerns the constraint on the supply of prescription drugs could lead to more robberies.

Blanchard says the pharmacists' association is currently updating its manuals and policies around what to do in the event of a robbery.

He also warns the province should be prepared for an increased need for addiction services when the drug-monitoring program is introduced.

"People who are dealing with addiction issues, who may not have to be dealing with them today because they continually get access, are now going to be forced into some decision points and we think that the government should have a program in place and should be aware that there's going to be an influx and a need for services around addiction."

Health Minister Victor Boudreau said on Monday all pharmacies in the province will be connected to a drug information database by the end of the year.