The Chamber of Pharmacists fears Labour’s proposal to distribute medicines to patients at home would impact pharmacists who were exclusively responsible for dispensing drugs.

Dispensing of medicines is defined as pharmacists’ exclusive role

The chamber expressed concern that a proposal of such magnitude could only materialise by replacing pharmacists directly dispensing medicine.

“Dispensing of medicines is defined as pharmacists’ exclusive role and includes the lasting personal contact between the pharmacists and the patient because medicines are not ordinary items of commerce.

“One should never confuse a distribution service with dispensing of medicines where a pharmacist carries out his or her unique role to enable patients to make the best use of their medicines,” the chamber said.

It expressed its views to Labour Party representatives during a cordial meeting last week. The chamber met Nationalist Party officials this week.

It said it was satisfied to hear both parties had committed to continue to develop the Pharmacy of Your Choice scheme and both had agreed to resolve the problem of out-of-stock medicines.

During the meeting, the PN clarified that, as proposed in its electoral manifesto, when a medicine was out of stock, the patient would receive it from the pharmacy’s private stock.

The pharmacy would then be reimbursed by the Government without any cost to the individual patient.

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