Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, no pharmacies in Nova Scotia are filling prescriptions that would last more than 30 days.
“This decision was not taken lightly,” says Beverley Zwicker, Registrar of the Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists (NSCP). “During this health emergency, it is vital that we do everything we can to ensure patients get the medications they need and this is one of the ways we are doing that.”
Premier Stephen McNeil says he’s looking into the possibility of loosening these restrictions on a limited basis ” I’ve spoken with our provincial health authorities and I know they’ve worked in conjunction federal counterparts to try and identify if there are specific drugs that could have extended prescriptions, up to 90 days.”
The 30 day limit while keeping supplies stable has had negative impacts. The most obvious problem is that people must leave their homes more frequently, something currently advised against by the government.
Pharmacies also often have a charge per fill-up meaning that patients are now having to pay extra fees. Those fees cover the associated costs with filling a prescription; labour, packaging, record confirmation, delivery all of which are now being utilized three times per usual.
Pharmacists say the act of filling 30 units or 90 units in a bottle is negligible but by seeing customers three times more often their workload has tripled.
Despite the provincial government’s desire to lift the ban at least on some medication, Premier McNeil announced it would continue and that his government would be working on more funding to help those dealing with extra pharmaceutical costs.
