Pharmacy: Adapting Prescriptions

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Following after Alberta, the province of British Columbia (in Canada)will be passing the Health Professions Act of Bill 25 on January 1, 2009. This will allow pharmacists to adapt prescriptions. Adapting a prescription means that pharmacists will have the right to substitute the valid prescription with another drug in the same therapeutic class, to renew valid prescriptions, and to change incorrect dose, dosing interval, formulation, and regimen. There is no need to confirm with the prescribing physician before initiating the change, eliminating time delays. However, 7 fundamentals are require to adapt a prescription (stated in PPP-58): individual competence of the pharmacist, appropriate information of patient and drug therapy, valid prescription, appropriateness of adaption, informed consent of patient, documentation of the change, and notification of other health professionals (preferably within 24 hours of adaption). A pharmacist is under no obligation to adapt a prescription but if he/she chooses to do so, the pharmacist bears full responsibility and assumes liability for that adapted prescription. Adapting a prescription is a highly anticipated change, contributing to the evolution of the role as a pharmacist. I am a first year pharmacy student and am very interested in what pharmacists have to say about Bill 25:) If you're a pharmacist from British Columbia, what do you think about this change and how will you adapt/respond to it? If you're a pharmacist from Alberta, how has this changed your life/career? If you're a pharmacist from elsewhere, what are your thoughts about this? This discussion may be too specific so I don't mind hearing what patients have to say as well^^. (Although if you're a physician or med. student, I would like to remind you that this discussion was created because I want to know what pharmacists think about this therefore insulting the profession of pharmacy may not be in your or my best interest. I'm a bit sour now after seeing what med. students are saying about this Act in forums .