It’s been nearly a year since pharmacists in B.C. began being able to prescribe for a selection of minor ailments and contraceptives and a new survey says the majority of British Columbians welcome the change.
The survey, commissioned by the BC Pharmacy Association and conducted by Stratcom between April 22 and April 25, showed that nearly 90 per cent of respondents said they support community pharmacists being able to offer more services.
Pharmacists in B.C. were given the ability to prescribe contraceptives and medications for some minor ailments on June 1, 2023. They can prescribe for minor ailments, such as acne, allergies and hay fever, headaches, menstrual pain, pink eye, urinary tract infections and yeast infections.
Seventy-three per cent of patients said they have a high level of confidence in pharmacists being able to order lab tests, while 67 per cent said they have a high level of confidence in pharmacists’ ability to provide counselling and prescribing for diabetes.
Seventy-nine per cent said they have a high level of confidence for pharmacists to provide point-of-care testing for ailments such as strep throat.
The majority of respondents said convenience, at 63 per cent, was their top reason for visiting a pharmacist for minor ailments. That was followed by trust at 43 per cent. For contraception, convenience was 50 per cent and trust was 37 per cent.
Between June 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024, pharmacists provided assessments for more than 340,000 minor ailments or contraceptives, according to provincial data, with more than 260,000 patients receiving the service.
There are now more than 3,900 pharmacists at 1,400 pharmacies providing the service. The province says that’s about three-quarters of active community pharmacists.
The greatest number of assessments in the first 10 months were: urinary tract infections at 21 per cent, contraception at 20 per cent, conjunctivitis at eight per cent, allergic rhinitis at seven per cent and cold sores at seven per cent.
The top-five assessments resulting in a prescription were: cold sores at 94 per cent, urinary tract infections at 89 per cent, acne at 89 per cent, gastroesphageal reflux disease at 88 per cent and hemorrhoids at 88 per cent.
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