FDA wants pharmacists to dole out more prescriptions without doctor's orders

This is unthinkable.

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I think it's a good idea actually, if done correctly.

Here in Alberta (canada) in April 2007, our government passed a law allowing pharmacists to renew prescriptions for patients thus saving a trip to the doctor for many people who would otherwise go just to get their prescription renewal.

Now then.. with this comes certain restrictions. For example, a pharmacist cannot make a prescription for a patient just out of the blue for something that they have no history of taking. It must be a prescription that the patient has a history with. Also, prescriptions that have potential for being abused, (eg: Valium, morphine, etc.) cannot be renewed by a pharmacist. A doctors visit is still required.

So far, here in Alberta, it;s working great. I know it's saved me a coupld trips to the walk-in clinic when I've run out and dont have time to make an appointment. :)

More info here:
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/03/30/prescrip-alberta.html
and
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2006/06/01/pharmacists-prescribe.html

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I'm all for this.

You don't need four years of medical school and two years of internship to prescribe birth control pills. We have an over-reliance on physicians in this country - contributing to long wait times, overbooked practices, and inflating medical care costs. A significant number of simple cases can be handled competently by non-MD medical professionals: not just pharmacists, but nurse practitioners and physician assistants as well.

Requiring an MD to prescribe anti-cholesterol or birth control pills is like requiring somebody with a PhD in mechanical engineering to change the oil in your car.

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I agree that some current prescription medicines should be available for patients without continually visiting a Physician's office. However, medicines where chronic condition is present in the patient (Hypertension, Hypercholesterol, Diabetes, Epilepsy, etc.) should still require regular visits to a Doctor.
A Doctor writing a prescription with a theoretical "diagnosis code" for these types of conditions would be ideal, and since Pharmacists are truthfully experts in the field of Drug Action (schooling currently requires two semesters each of Pharmacology, Medicinal Chemistry, Chemo- therapeutic Agents for Pharmacy students) it should be their choice to select the proper medication for a patient.
This being said, a change in the publics' view of a Pharmacist as merely and advisor and a gatekeeper needs to evolve, and complete patient records from a Doctor's Office would be necessary for a Pharmacist to properly select a medication for the patient. Both of these tasks may be easier said than done, but this situation would be ideal for everyone.

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