scp volume 26 · smoking is addressed and action is taken. with approximately 1,600 deaths each...

NewsletterVOLUME 27 NUMBER 2 JUNE 2006

700 - 4010 PASQUA STREET, REGINA, SK S4S 7B9TEL: 306-584-2292 FAX: 306-584-9695EMAIL: [email protected]

Inside This IssueCouncil Highlights ................... 2

Passionate About PIP ............. 4

Why ShouldMembers Use PIP .................. 5

Prescription ReviewProgram .................................. 6

RBSP Annual Conferenceand SCP AGM......................... 9

Speed Reading ..................... 12

Incoming President’s AddressTo be elected to the position of

President of the Saskatchewan Col-lege of Pharmacists is really truly anhonour and it is with a great deal ofpleasure and some trepidation that Iaccept the responsibilities of thisposition. I am pleased to be able toserve my fellow pharmacists andthe public in this capacity, but Iknow I have a hard act to follow,after the tremendous job our currentPresident Debbie McCulloch hasdone. She has an amazing ability toask just the right questions and helpthe rest of us make sense of whatare at times very complex issues.Well done, Debbie!

I have also seen the amazing jobthat the previous presidents havedone and truly hope I am up to thechallenge. The vision of the Sas-katchewan College of Pharmacistsis Quality Pharmacy Care in Sas-katchewan. We are so fortunate tohave in Saskatchewan so manypharmacists that are providing ex-ceptional quality of care, as well asleadership in their areas of practice.We just need to look around theroom to see the individuals ofwhom I speak.

We are also very fortunate tohave organizations such as theHealth Quality Council to provideleadership in many areas includingbest practices. We as pharmacistsneed to tap into these resources inorder to continue to provide qualitypharmacy care in Saskatchewan.We have a lot to be proud of and Iam so happy to be able to say I ama part of it.

As a profession, we have manyexciting times to look forward to.We have heard many times in manydifferent forums that our professionis on the verge of change: the actualduties we are engaging in on a day-to-day basis may look very differentin 5, 10 or 15 years. If the recom-mendations that are being proposednow are realized, then we will beable to use our knowledge and skillsto the utmost. This by all expecta-tions can and will be to the benefitof the residents of Saskatchewan.

It is, however, so very importantthat we as a profession know whatit is we want pharmacy to look likein the future and begin now todevelop a step-by-step approach togetting there. If we think of thosechanges as an ocean storm, thenwe must be the captains of the shipof change. The most undesirablerole would be one where someoneelse dictates to us what thosechanges will be. I would suggestthat most of us would be muchhappier to have a say in how thechanges occur instead of having tocomply. Part of the way to have asay is to become involved with yourprofession in a leadership role,whether it be to run for SCP Councilor the RBSP Board, or volunteer tobe a member of a professional com-

mittee. As pharmacists we have somuch to offer both our professionand the public at large.

As a SCP Council member, notonly have I had the opportunity towork with truly dedicated individualson Council, but also have seen veryfavourable working relationships de-velop with other health care profes-sional organizations such as RBSP(Representative Board of Saskatch-ewan Pharmacists), CPSS (Collegeof Physicians and Surgeons of Sas-katchewan), SMA (SaskatchewanMedical Association) and SRNA(Saskatchewan Registered Nurses’Association). Those interdisciplinaryrelationships go a long way to build-ing very effective partnerships. Ireally look forward this year to con-tinuing those working relationshipsand being able to collaborate onissues of mutual interest.

I feel one of the most valuedcharacteristics of the pharmacy pro-fession is our positive public image.We, as a profession, have alwaysfelt that the public’s perception of usis that we are both accessible and

continued on page 3

2 • Saskatchewan College of Pharmacists Volume 27 Number 2

Council Highlights – April 28, 2006Highlights from Council’s meeting held in Prince Albert before the RBSP

Conference:• Heard a presentation on the preliminary results of our public opinion re-

search to understand public opinions and expectations of pharmacists andthe College. The results will be used to guide strategic planning.

• Approved the terms of reference for a Linkage Committee as a standingcommittee of Council to recommend Council’s agenda priorities andownership (i.e. public) linkage opportunities to meet those priorities.

• Heard a presentation from Kelly Pierson who promoted the Smokers’Help Line. Council agreed to partner with her organization to encouragemembers to refer smokers to the Help Line (refer to separate article inthis Newsletter).

• Received correspondence from the Saskatchewan Medical Associationencouraging us to ban the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies.

• Agreed to participate in the planning of a pharmacy leadership summit toadvance the role of the pharmacist.

• Appointed George Furneaux from Regina as a member-at-large to fill thevacancy on Council for electoral division 6 (i.e. south-western Saskatch-ewan).

• Considered candidates for appointment to fill the vacancy on Council forelectoral division 8 (i.e. hospital pharmacists).

• Elected Jeannette Sandiford as President and Bev Allen as President-Elect for the term beginning July 1, 2006.

• Approved in principle the establishment of a task force to address qualityof care concerns with the use of benzodiazepines.

• Approved revisions to the Triplicate Prescription Program (refer to sepa-rate article in this Newsletter).

• Approved in principle revisions to our bylaws and a consultation processto ensure that the applicant for a pharmacy permit is the operator of thepharmacy.

• Agreed to participate in a process to expedite the licensing of pharmacistsfrom other jurisdictions during public health emergencies.

• Granted an appeal with conditions to a decision of the Registrar thatwould allow a candidate to repeat the appraisal training, practice assess-ment and jurisprudence examination.

• Granted two extensions to conditional licences, and one extension to theregistration deadline.

• Approved a statement on “The Duty of Pharmacists to Report Issues inthe Course of Counselling and Providing Emergency Contraception Careto Minors” (circulated to pharmacies as a Reference Manual update).

• Approved the Supplemental Standards of Practice for Schedule II and IIIDrugs, June 2005, by the National Association of Pharmacy RegulatoryAuthorities.

NAPRA Welcomes New President,Janet Bradshaw

The National Association ofPharmacy Regulatory Authorities(NAPRA) elected its new President,Janet Bradshaw, during a SpecialBoard Meeting held Sunday,April 23, in Ottawa.

Ms. Bradshaw is a graduate ofthe University of Saskatchewan,College of Pharmacy and Nutrition.She has served as Councillor and

President of the Saskatchewan Col-lege of Pharmacists and held theposition of Vice-President withNAPRA in 2005-06. Ms. Bradshawpractises in Fort Qu’Appelle, Sas-katchewan.

Please join us in congratulatingJanet and wishing her all the bestduring her term. We are certainlyproud of her.

SCP Council 2005-06Division 1

Jeannette Sandiford, Weyburn(term expires June 30, 2007)

President-Elect

Division 2

Terri Bromm, Tisdale(term expires June 30, 2006)

Division 3

Randy Wiser, Prince Albert(term expires June 30, 2007)

Division 4

Bev Allen, Saskatoon(term expires June 30, 2006)

Divison 5

Bill Paterson, Regina(term expires June 30, 2007)

Past President

Division 6

Corry MacWilliam, Swift Current(term expires June 30, 2006)

Division 7

Debbie McCulloch, Rosetown(term expires June 30, 2007)

President

Division 8

Melanie McLeod, Regina(term expires June 30, 2006)

Vice President

Ex Officio

Dean Dennis GoreckiCollege of Pharmacy and Nutrition,

Saskatoon

Public

Lavonne Heck, ReginaJoseph Jeerakathil, Saskatoon

Student Observer

Cynthia Berry

SCP StaffJeanne Eriksen,

Assistant Registrar

Paulette Francis,Reception/Accounting Clerk

Pat Guillemin,Administrative Assistant

Ray Joubert,Registrar

Cheryl Klein,Senior Administrative Assistant

Heather Neirinck,Administrative Assistant

Lori Postnikoff, Field Officer

Volume 27 Number 2 Saskatchewan College of Pharmacists • 3

Incoming President’s Addresscontinued from page 1knowledgeable. Council is under-taking a survey to gain very valuableinformation about that public imageand how the public perceives ourroles and responsibilities, and whatthey see our strengths to be withinthe health-care team. I think the re-sults will provide us with manyopportunities to develop our roles aswell as confirm what we alreadyknow about how our existence posi-tively impacts so many individuals

on a daily basis. I think the surveyresults will also help to reinforce thedirection that Council is going toadvance our profession, in waysthat are for the benefit of the public.

In closing, I wish to thank theSCP Council for instilling in me theirconfidence and for allowing me toserve our profession in this manner.I would also like to say thank you tothe SCP staff, especially Ray,Jeanne, Lori and Heather. I truly

appreciate our working relationshipand friendship and all you do for ourCouncil and for our profession. I be-lieve that the upcoming year willpresent many challenges and oppor-tunities, but with the continued co-operation and camaraderie we willbe able to accomplish our goals andsee many advances made in ourprofession. Thank you very much.

Respectfully submitted,Jeannette Sandiford

Vision – Action – Results“The Fax Referral Program”

The Smokers’ Helpline Fax Refer-ral Program is a quick and easy wayfor health professionals to be surethat the important health concern ofsmoking is addressed and action istaken.

With approximately 1,600 deathseach year in this province attribut-able to smoking-related illness, theimportance of quitting smoking isundeniable. The Smokers’ HelplineFax Referral Program is a provenquit treatment that doubles yourpatients’ rate of success, comparedto not using any quit assistance.

One is often asked about quitrates and the effectiveness of theFax Referral Program and the suc-cess of the Smokers’ Helpline. Tele-phone counselling routinely leads toquit rates of 13% while quit ratesfor Nicotine Replacement Therapywithout counselling may only be8%. As health-care professionalsyou can have confidence in the serv-ice and the satisfaction in assistingsmokers become non-smokers.Your work with the Fax ReferralProgram is responsible for many“Transformations” and the Smok-ers’ Helpline highlights successstories each day. Fax Referral hasequipped callers with specific toolsand strategies that our most suc-cessful clients have used to becomenon-smokers. Smokers are taughtthe integrated skills and strategiesalong with the focus and the sup-port they need to achieve success.The creation of partnerships through

meaningful interaction produceachievements beyond what any oneentity could achieve on its own.

The simple action of completinga fax referral form connects smok-ers to the most effective and evi-dence-based services in the prov-ince. A Smokers’ Helpline counsel-lor calls the individual within threedays to give more information aboutsupports available and to arrangeongoing support. Services rangefrom self-help materials to proactivetelephone and group counsellingprograms.

The Smokers’ Helpline encour-ages Saskatchewan health care pro-fessionals to continue their greatefforts in smoking cessation! Onaverage, quitters make six attemptsto quit before maintaining absti-nence. However … 40% of quittersreport quitting on their first seriousattempt. We are a group of peoplewho have a shared repertoire, wewant to help a smoker quit and quitfor good.

We are here to help you in yourefforts to assist your patients toachieve optimum health.

If you would like access to moreFax Referral forms or more informa-tion about the Fax Referral Program,please give Kelly Pierson, the Smok-ers’ Helpline Coordinator, a call at1-306-790-5816.

Drug ScheduleAmendments

The following drug scheduleamendments became effectiveApril 28, 2006, upon publication inthe Saskatchewan Gazette:

1.0 Amend Schedule III to add in

alphabetical order:

ephedrine and its salts in combi-

nation products (in preparationscontaining no more than 8 mg perunit dose, with a label recommend-ing no more than 8 mg/dose or32mg/day and for use not more thanseven days and indicated for nasalcongestion)

[Note: Pharmacists are advisedthat in areas where there is evi-dence of abuse or particular concernabout abuse, ephedrine productsshould not be located in a self-selec-tion area of the pharmacy]

pseudoephedrine and its saltsand preparations in combination

products

[Note: Pharmacists are advisedthat in areas where there is evi-dence of abuse or particular concernabout abuse, pseudoephedrineproducts should not be located in aself-selection area of the pharmacy]

This means that combinationproducts containing ephedrine orpseudoephedrine can ONLY be soldin a pharmacy for self-selection inthe Professional Services Area un-less there is concern/evidence ofabuse at which time they should belocated in an area where self-selec-tion is not possible.


Passionate about PIP (Integrating PIP into Your Pharmacy Practice)By Kimberly Sentes

My Initial PIP Experience or Why I’m Passionate About PIP

• PIP accessed for ALL new prescriptions.• In the first two weeks utilizing PIP, 36 Drug Related Problems (DRP) were

documented and resolved.• Average of three DRP/day utilizing PIP (approx. 120 prescriptions/day

filled).

“Pharmacists – The Invisible Lifesavers” by Ken Burns

(Pharmacy Post, Feb. 2006)

“Pharmacists save lives – yet few people realize it and even fewer believeit … the worst part is pharmacists don’t get it: either they don’t understandthat they’re saving lives or they don’t realize that, if they aren’t working tothe best of their abilities people may be unnecessarily losing their lives.”

Case Study:Mr. C.O. male,81 years• Regular compliance pack patient

at my pharmacy• Medication list: Nitro-dur 0.4,

Nitrospray, atorvastatin, warfarin,folic acid, aspirin, irbesartan,carvedilol, clonazepam, furosem-ide, tolubutamide.

• Patient brought in prescription forCialis from family doctor.

• Prescription cancelled due todrug interaction with Nitro patchand spray.

• Patient went to walk-in cliniclocated down the street and gotanother prescription for Cialisfrom a walk-in physician and pro-ceeded to have the prescriptionfilled at another pharmacy with-out access to PIP.

• Patient comes back later inmonth to get regular blister packsand PIP is reviewed; drug interac-tion is caught for the secondtime.

• Counselled patient again on theinteraction and explained why heshould not take the Cialis.

• Patient agreed not to take Cialisdispensed from the other phar-macy.

What have we learned

from Mr. C.O.?

• Medication reviews, without PIP,can prove to be inaccurate due topatient’s lack of knowledge aboutcurrent medications or refusal todisclose full medication history.

• Completing an oral med review issignificantly more time-consum-ing than reviewing PIP in patientswith complicated medication pro-files.

• The resolution of Drug RelatedProblems is far more time con-suming than viewing PIP.

• Did Mr. C.O. receive standardizedpharmaceutical care? Was pa-tient safety jeopardized?

Case Study:Mrs. E.C. female,75 years• New compliance pack patient

from Northern SK• Current medications:

– Dr. ONE – insulin, allopurinol,aspirin, candesartan, amioda-rone, ferrous sulfate, furosem-ide 40 mg, rabeprazole, meto-lazone, simvastatin 40 mg

• Patient goes to FIVE differentphysicians located in Regina inthree months and obtains variousprescriptions that are not on cur-rent med list from previouscommunity, while stil l takingcompliance pack medications.– Dr. TWO – Amitriptyline, furo-

semide 20 mg and Tylenol #3– Dr. THREE – Metoprolol, met-

formin, nitro-dur, simvastatin40mg, and risperidone

– Dr. FOUR – Amoxicillin– Dr. FIVE – Benylin DM, clari-

thromycin and temazepam• All of the above filled at different

pharmacies, none with access toPIP

What have we learned

from Mrs. E.C.?

• Shocking use of the healthcaresystem!

• Significant DRPs and therapeuticduplications (i.e. patient receivingfurosemide and simvastatin fromtwo different doctors and two dif-ferent pharmacies)

• RESULT: refused to fill compli-ance pack until all medicationsbrought to the pharmacy and pro-vided patient with a one-weeksupply until medication list couldbe reassessed.

• Helped patient find a family phy-sician in Regina accepting newpatients.

More Case Studies1) Patient is using a salbutamol in-

haler regularly from differentwalk-in clinics and pharmacies,no steroid inhaler on file in thepast year. PIP is EFFICIENT forviewing exact dates of dispensedprescriptions, in turn improvingpatient counselling and adjustingpharmacotherapy if necessary.

2) Methadone patient is multi-doctoring for benzodiazepines.PIP allows us to CLEARLY viewmedication histories, allowing usto deal with multi-doctoring situa-tions before we experience an-other situation like the Ironchildinquiry.

3) Patient receiving antibiotics fromnumerous walk-in clinics andpharmacies. PIP is EFFECTIVEfor viewing antibiotic use and


overuse allowing improved coun-selling and utilization of anti-biotics.

4) Masked profiles: Two experi-ences, both patients consentedwithout any issues; consent formattached to prescription and filedas usual.

Safety in Healthcare• US Institute of Medicine (1999)

released a landmark report docu-menting medical safety in the US[SIHL, “Creating a Culture ofSafety in Healthcare”, Ayers etal, 2005].

• Bombshell: Human error in medi-cine estimated to account for

44,000 to 98,000 preventabledeaths per year.

• Compared to aviation, a wide-body jet accident with no survi-vors would occur every two days.

Why Integrate PIPinto Your Practice?

Benefits to PATIENTS:

• Improves Patient Safety• Standardized Care for all Patients

Benefits to PHARMACISTS:

• Ease in investigating DRPs• Improved confidence in investi-

gating DRPs• Clarifies and improves patient

counselling.

• Improved physician/pharmacistrelationships (approx. 10% ofdoctors have computers com-pared to 100% of pharmacists.)

Passionate about PIP• Not integrating PIP into daily

practice can jeopardize patientsafety and the quality of pharma-ceutical care. Ethically ALL phar-macists should embrace PIP.

• PIP is an amazing, life-saving tooland I can’t imagine not having ac-cess to it everyday. I hope that Ihave inspired some of you to be-come passionate about the ben-efits of integrating PIP into yourpractice.

Why Should Members Use PIP?Presentation by Ray Joubert, Registrar at RBSP Conference April 30, 2006

The central question is “whyshould members integrate the Phar-maceutical Information ProgramMedication Profile Viewer into yourpractices?”

From the College’s perspective,members have an ethical duty tofulfill your professional role of “find-ing, fixing and preventing” drugrelated problems. We believe thatthe Viewer is one of the most impor-tant tools you can use to help youfulfill this role. Drug related prob-lems include:• Needing pharmacotherapy• Taking the wrong drug• Taking too little of the right drug• Taking too much of the right drug• Experiencing an adverse reaction

or side effect• Experiencing an interaction• Not taking the drug as prescribed• Taking the drug for an invalid indi-

cation• Receiving a new drug likely to

cause intoleranceAs we advocate the use of

patient profiles in the pharmacy as atool to fulfill your role, we advocateusing the Viewer because it is morecomplete due to the history of pre-scription purchases in other pharma-cies. However, there are more

specific ethical reasons why phar-macists should use the Viewer.1) Members have an ethical duty to

access the profile for its intendedpurpose. The vision for PIP is to“provide health care profession-als and patients with the informa-tion and tools to make optimaldrug therapy decisions to im-prove the quality, safety andmanagement of health care forSaskatchewan residents”. There-fore, using the Viewer is compat-ible with your duty of care to thepatient.

2) This vision is broader than thefindings of the Darcy Ironchildinquiry where the Coronerrecommended a network “be

implemented of all pharmacies

to prevent medication pre-

scriptions of the same lethal,

addictive and controlled medi-

cation and/or double doctoring

between pharmacies through-

out Saskatchewan.” Thus itappears that members’ minimumethical duty begins with access-ing the patient profile in PIP toprevent diversion of addictivedrugs.

3) Your obligations from your Stand-ards of Practice are to gather

information and assess its rele-vance to patient care which isinterpreted to mean any informa-tion that is reasonably available.The Viewer now makes a morecomplete drug history reasonablyavailable to you, and therefore itsuse is expected under yourStandards of Practice.

4) You have an ethical duty to coop-erate with other members of theteam caring for the patient. Asthey have relied upon youraccess to patient profiles to iden-tify, resolve and prevent drugrelated problems, they are alsolikely to rely upon you to expandyour ability to fulfill this role byusing the Viewer.

5) The Viewer thus has the potentialto advance your role as a mem-ber of the health-care team.While you are often a remotemember of the team, the Viewercreates the environment whereyou can effectively function as avirtual member of the team.Planned PIP phases under devel-opment will enhance this capa-bility.

continued on page 6


6) Even without these futurephases, members can use theViewer to promote your role. Oneimportant function is to use it formonitoring for adherence (forexample, monitoring patients oncardiovascular medications to en-sure adherence with scientificevidence). We know that longterm adherence to medicationregimens for a chronic conditionis generally approximately 50%at one year. For many conditions,the benefit of medications doesnot begin to manifest itself until12-24 months following controlof the condition (e.g. hyper-tension, cholesterol, etc). Inessence, many individualschoose to stop their drug therapyprior to realizing any benefit.Even in situations in which ben-efit is seen early, loss of adher-ence results in an increase inadverse events and associatednegative outcomes.Thus, promoting your role in ad-

herence is an ideal situation to focuson for several reasons:• Pharmacists are the best trained

health professionals to talk topatients and problem solve withdrug adherence related issues;

• Pharmacists are likely the bestequipped individuals to recognize

non-adherence with patient pro-files and now with the release ofthe Viewer;

• Pharmacists see the patient themost frequently in order to dealwith medication refills;

• An incentive exists for drug plansto maximize adherence in thatthey are not paying for drugs thatachieve no benefit;

• Incentive to health-care systemexists because of the over-whelming evidence that en-hanced adherence results indecreased contact with health-care system; and,

• Lack of political and scope ofpractice conflicts as most wouldagree that this function naturallyfalls within our current scope ofpractice.At last fall’s district meetings, the

most frequently cited reason for notusing the Viewer was fear of violat-ing privacy legislation. We believethat if pharmacists comply with theirethical responsibilities, you willcomply with privacy legislation.Therefore, the College has issued apolicy statement and guidelines as aReference Manual update to assistmembers in complying with yourethical and legal responsibilities. Tosummarize, the policy statementsupports pharmacists accessing and

Why Should Members Use PIP? continued from page 5

using the Viewer for its intendedpurpose when pharmacists are de-livering pharmaceutical care serv-ices. The policy also specificallydefines the circumstances underwhich members may accessmasked profiles. It prohibits accessand use for unauthorized purposes(i.e. “surfing”). More specifically,“Access to information within PIP isprovided to pharmacists to assistthem to deliver the best possiblequality of pharmaceutical care totheir patients. Accessing, using, ordisseminating information from thePIP program, other than as permit-ted in this policy is professional orproprietary misconduct”.

Therefore, we will support mem-ber access and use in compliancewith the policy, and members whodo not comply may be subject to thediscipline process.

The guidelines more specificallydescribe accountability, purpose,patient control, patient communica-tion, limiting use and disclosure,safeguards, access by patients,amendments and complaints.

To conclude, for many profes-sional reasons, members should ac-cess and use the Viewer. You shouldnot fear accessing and using it if youfollow your ethical obligations andStandards of Practice.

Changes to the Triplicate Prescription Program –“Prescription Review Program”

The Minister of Health has approved revisions to the bylaws of the College of Physi-cians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan that significantly change the Triplicate PrescriptionProgram to become effective June 2, 2006 upon publication in the Saskatchewan Ga-zette.

Amongst other things, the name of the program is changed to the “Prescription Re-

view Program”, the special prescription form is eliminated and the panel of moni-tored drugs is expanded to include benzodiazepines, and other drugs. For morecomplete details, please refer to the following document.

Some implementation and transitional issues exist that require clarification:• prescribers may continue to use the Triplicate (duplicate) forms until supplies are de-

pleted;• the new Program requirements apply to new prescriptions as of the effective date.

This means that, for example, for the drugs added to the panel of monitored drugssuch as benzodiazepines, members should honor prescriptions (i.e. repeats) receivedbefore the effective date as they were then issued.We ask all members to continue your usual cooperation by adhering to the Program

requirements.


Summary of the Prescription Review Program (Formerly Triplicate Prescription Program)

Saskatchewan Collegeof Pharmacists

Revisions to the bylaws of theCollege of Physicians and Surgeonsof Saskatchewan replace the Tripli-cate Prescription Program with thePrescription Review Program andrevise the Program’s requirements.It continues as a partnership be-tween this College, the College ofPhysicians and Surgeons of Sas-katchewan and the College of Den-tal Surgeons of Saskatchewan, whowill also similarly amend their by-laws. The Saskatchewan RegisteredNurses’ Association has been addedas a partner in anticipation that Reg-istered Nurse (Nurse Practitioners)will be granted prescribing privi-leges under the federal ControlledDrugs and Substances Act. Thecomplete text of this new bylaw isattached, and the Program require-ments are summarized as follows:1) The list of drugs covered by the

Program is expanded to includeall amphetamines (rather thanjust dextroamphetamine), ana-bolic steroids, all barbiturates(rather than just butalbital), ben-zodiazepines and chloral hydrate;

2) Prescribers are no longer re-quired to write prescriptions forany of these drugs on the specialtriplicate (or duplicate) form*;

3) While under federal law many ofthese drugs can be prescribedverbally, the written prescriptionrequirement continues for alldrugs under the new Program,including those that have beenadded;

4) While there is no time limitationunder federal law, prescriptionsfor drugs under the new Programcontinue to be valid for no morethan three days. However, theprescriber must include a state-ment on the prescription that it isonly valid for three days;

5) The prescriber must also includeon the prescription:a) The patient’s date of birth;b) The patient’s address;c) The total quantity of medica-

tion prescribed, both numeri-cally and in written form;

d) The patient’s health servicesnumber; and,

e) The prescriber’s name and ad-dress;

6) Prescribers may order part-fills,but must specify the total quan-tity, the amount to be dispensedeach fill, and the time interval be-tween fills;

7) Prescribers may issue refills aspermitted under federal law. Tosummarize, prescription refillsare NOT permitted for any nar-cotic, but are permitted under theProgram when issued in writingfor:a) Controlled Drugs Level I and

II, including preparations, if theprescriber has specified thenumber, and frequency or in-terval between refills;

b) Benzodiazepines, if the pre-scriber has specified thenumber of refills and less thanone year has elapsed sincethe date the prescription wasissued. If the prescriber alsospecifies the interval betweenrefills, the pharmacist may notdispense the refill until theinterval has expired;

c) Chloral hydrate if the prescri-ber has specified the numberof refills;

8) The Registrar’s office of the Col-lege of Physicians and Surgeonsis authorized to collect and usethe information gathered underthe Program for the purposes ofthe Program (i.e. to generate“alert” and “explain” letters tophysicians) and may disclose dis-pensing information to us;

9) While the one prescription perform rule is eliminated, prescrib-ers are encouraged to write onlyone drug per prescription;

10) All other requirements of theformer Triplicate Prescription Pro-gram are retained.The SCP continues to expect

member cooperation with prescrib-ers to ensure the success of theProgram.

*This also means that the patient’s signa-ture on the prescription is eliminated, butmembers may ask for it at your discretion.

College of Physicians andSurgeons of Saskatchewan

Bylaw 40 is rescinded and thefollowing substituted in its place:

40. The Prescription Review

Program

1) Panel of Monitored Drugs – Theprescription review program shallapply to all dosage forms of thefollowing drugs, except where in-dicated otherwise:ACETAMINOPHEN WITH

CODEINE – in all dosageforms except those contain-ing 8 mg or less of codeine

ACETYLSALICYLIC ACID (ASA)WITH CODEINE – in alldosage forms except thosecontaining 8 mg or less ofcodeine

AMPHETAMINES – in all dosageforms

ANABOLIC STEROIDSANILERIDINE – in all dosage

formsBARBITUATESBENZODIAZEPINES – in all

doses and formsBUTALBITAL – in all dosage

formsBUTALBITAL WITH CODEINE –

in all dosage formsBUTORPHANOLCHLORAL HYDRATECOCAINE – in all dosage formsCODEINE – as the single active

ingredient, or in combinationwith other active ingredients,in all dosage forms exceptthose containing 20 mg per30 ml or less of codeine inliquid for oral administration

continued on page 8


Summary of the Prescription Review Program continued

DIETHYLPROPION – in alldosage forms

FENTANYL – in all dosage formsHYDROCODONE-DIHYDRO-

CODEINONE – in all dosageforms

HYDROMORPHONE-DIPHRYDROMORPHONE –in all dosage forms

LEVORPHANOL – in all dosageforms

MEPERIDINE-PETHIDINE – in alldosage forms

METHADONE – in all dosageforms

METHYLPHENIDATE – in alldosage forms

MORPHINE – in all dosageforms

NORMETHANDON-P-HYDRO-XYEPHEDRINE – in all dosageforms

OXYCODONE – as the singleactive ingredient, or in combi-nation with other active ingre-dients in all dosage forms

PANTOPON – in all dosage formsPENTAZOCINE – in all dosage

formsPHENTERMINE – in all dosage

formsPROPOXYPHENE – in all dosage

forms2) Prescriptions for drugs covered

by the Prescription Review Pro-gram shall be issued and dis-pensed according to the policiesand procedures agreed to andamended from time to time bythe College of Dental Surgeonsof Saskatchewan, the College ofPhysicians and Surgeons of Sas-katchewan, the SaskatchewanRegistered Nurses’ Associationand the Saskatchewan College ofPharmacists.

3) In order to prescribe a drug towhich the prescription reviewprogram applies, physicians shallcomplete a written prescriptionwhich meets federal and provin-cial legal requirements and in-cludes the following:a) A statement that the prescrip-

tion is only valid for threedays;

b) The patient’s date of birth;c) The patient’s address;d) The total quantity of medica-

tion prescribed, both numeri-cally and in written form;

e) The patient’s health servicesnumber; and,

f) The prescriber’s name and ad-dress.

4) Physicians shall only prescribepart-fills of medications to whichthe prescription review programapplies if the following informa-tion is specified in the prescrip-tion:a) The total quantity;b) The amount to be dispensed

each time; andc) The time interval between

fills.5) The office of the Registrar may

gather and analyze informationpertaining to the prescribing ofmedications to which the Pre-scription Review Program appliesin Saskatchewan for the purposeof limiting the inappropriate pre-scribing and inappropriate use ofsuch drugs. In order to fulfill thatrole, the office of the Registrarmay, among other activities:a) Generally, provide education

to physicians in order to en-courage appropriate prescrib-ing practices by physiciansregistered by the College;

b) Alert physicians to possible in-appropriate use of medica-tions to which the PrescriptionReview Program applies bypatients to whom they haveprescribed such drugs;

c) Alert physicians to possibleinappropriate prescribing ofmedications to which thePrescription Review Programapplies;

d) Make recommendations to aphysician with respect to thephysician’s prescribing ofmedications to which thePrescription Review Programapplies;

e) Require physicians to provideexplanations for their prescrib-ing of medications to which

the Prescription Review Pro-gram applies. In making re-quests for explanations, theOffice of the Registrar may re-quire the physician to provideinformation about the patient,the reasons for prescribing tothe patient, and any knowl-edge which the physician mayhave about other narcotics orcontrolled drugs received bythe patient;

f) Cause information, concernsor opinions of general applica-tion to the profession to becommunicated to the physi-cians registered by the Col-lege without identifying theparticular physician to whomsuch information relates;

g) Provide information gatheredin connection with the Pre-scription Review Program toanother professional regula-tory organization including, butnot limited to, the College ofDental Surgeons of Saskatch-ewan, the Saskatchewan Col-lege of Pharmacists and theSaskatchewan RegisteredNurses’ Association wherethe information gathered is rel-evant to the regulatory respon-sibilities of that regulatoryorganization.

6) Physicians shall respond to suchrequests for explanation, as de-scribed in paragraph 5(e) above,from the office of the Registrarwithin 14 days of receipt of sucha request for information.

7) The Registrar, Deputy Registrar,or Prescription Review ProgramSupervisor may extend the dead-line for reply at their discretion,upon receipt of a written requestfor extension from the physician.

8) All physicians who receive such arequest for information will com-ply, to the best of their ability,fully and accurately with such re-quest for information.

9) Failure to comply with para-graphs 40(5)(e), 40(6) and 40(8)above is unbecoming, improper,unprofessional or discreditableconduct.


RBSP 5th Annual Conference and SCP 95thAnnual General MeetingThose in attendance, including

her husband Larry (yes we managedto keep the secret so she was sur-prised) warmly congratulated Cheryland in her words, “it was probablythe only time I will get a standingovation – I will revel in the honour!”Congratulations Cheryl. Please joinus in thanking Cheryl for all herefforts on the members’ behalf.

Following a lovely buffet dinner,President Debbie McCulloch tookthe podium to continue the even-ing’s program. Jeff Taylor was in-vited to say a few words on behalfof the Class of ’81 and to introducehis classmates. President MuCul-loch presented each with a SCP25-year silver pin as the honoreecame forward. In attendance were:Deanne Dowling; Robert Dyck;

Sharon Klein-Hewitt, Arlene Kuntz;Donald Kuntz; Heather McLelland;Jinette Tam and Jeff Taylor.

SCP then honoured the 50-yeargraduates of the Class of ’56,three of whom were in attendance:James H. Cameron, Carrol F. Chlo-pan and Alvin S. Scherle. RegistrarJoubert read a brief biography ofeach graduate (those present andthose that had forwarded their bioinformation). This was followed by aresponse from Jimmy Cameron onbehalf of the Class. PresidentDebbie McCulloch presented eachwith the SCP 50-year gold pin andcitation.

Everyone was invited to con-gratulate the evening’s honoreesand to visit with their colleagues andfriends.

The SCP participated in the 5th

Annual RBSP Conference in PrinceAlbert on the weekend of April 28,29 and 30, 2006. During the confer-ence both the RBSP and SCP heldtheir annual general meetings.

On Friday the conference kickedoff with a welcome reception in abeautiful setting east of the city atthe Cosmo Lodge.

The evening’s program beganwith a brief opening by Board ChairMarg Ustupski who welcomed eve-ryone to the conference. She theninvited Ray Joubert, Registrar ofSCP, to the podium as he had a spe-cial presentation. Ray took theopportunity to acknowledge andrecognize Cheryl Klein, SeniorAdministrative Assistant of theCollege, for 20 years of dedicationto the members of SCP (formerlySPhA).

Cheryl joined the Associationwhen there were only two adminis-trative assistants on staff and allclerical tasks were done “manu-ally”. Through many changes, fromthe promise of an easier workloadwith the introduction of computers,through to the newest version ofthe PRS, WHIC and CIHI databases,Cheryl has managed to keep hersense of humour and endless opti-mism.

Class of 1981, from left to right – back row: Jinette Tam, HeatherMcLelland, Arlene Kuntz, Deanne Dowling, Sharon Klein-HewittFront row: Don Kuntz, Robert Dyck and Jeff Taylor

Cheryl Klein

Class of 1956, from left to right:James Cameron, Carrol Chlopan, Alvin Scherle

continued onpage 10


RBSP 5th Annual Conference and SCP Annual General Meeting continued from page 9

The 95th Annual General Meet-

ing of the Saskatchewan College ofPharmacists was convened Sundaymorning, April 30, 2006. PresidentMcCulloch introduced the membersof Council and acknowledgedCynthia Berry, Senior Stick, whorepresented the students on Coun-cil. The following reports were pre-sented: President’s Annual Report;Registrar’s Report; and the Auditor’sReport. A report from the College ofPharmacy and Nutrition was pre-sented by Dean Dennis Gorecki.

The President’s Luncheon soonfollowed. President McCulloch act-ing as Master of Ceremonies invitedPast-President Bill Paterson to askthe blessing. Following lunch Presi-dent McCulloch introduced the headtable guests and then the membersof Council in attendance.

President-Elect Jeannette Sandi-ford introduced the award recipientsas President McCulloch presentedthe following awards:

Certificate of Recognition

Presented to pharmacists for theiroutstanding service to the Saskatch-ewan College of Pharmacists

Corry MacWilliam and MelanieMcLeod upon their retirement fromCouncil.

Award of Merit

Presented to recognize any personor group of persons who are notmembers of the College, whothrough their active participationhas promoted the SaskatchewanCollege of Pharmacists and/or theprofession of pharmacy in Saskatch-ewan.

The Health Information SolutionsCentre (HISC) staff who have dili-gently worked to design and imple-ment the Pharmacy InformationProgram (PIP) and install the PIPViewers in the pilot pharmacies,medical clinics and hospital emer-gency rooms across the province.Mr. Scott Priddell accepted theaward on behalf of the HISC staff.

Presidential Citations

Presented in recognition of a specialcontribution to pharmacy.

The pharmacies that volunteeredto participate in the pilot for thePharmacy Information Program byincorporating the PIP Viewer intotheir practice to test the systemprior to the province-wide roll out ofthe program.

Many were in attendance at theluncheon. The others will receivecitations in the mail.• Avon Rexall, Regina• Cheetham’s Pharmacy,

Saskatoon• Drugstore Pharmacies:

Estevan, Humboldt, Kindersley,Meadow Lake, Melfort, Melville,Moose Jaw (2), Nipawin, PrinceAlbert, Regina, Saskatoon (2),Swift Current, Tisdale, Weyburn,Yorkton

• Gray Chemists, Prince Albert• Henders Drugs, Estevan• Hill Avenue Drugs, Regina• Lakeshore Pharmacy, Regina• Lorne Avenue Drugs, Regina• Louck’s MediHealth Pharmacy,

Yorkton• Medicine Shoppes:

Saskatoon (103 Hospital Drive),Saskatoon (20th Street W.)

• Midway Pharmacy, Davidson• Nordon Drugs, Saskatoon• Pasqua Hospital Pharmacy,

Regina• Pharmasave Pharmacies:

Balcarres, Biggar, Carlyle,Estevan, Fort Qu’Appelle,Hudson Bay, Indian Head,Langenburg, Moose Jaw(Lillooet), Moose Jaw(Main Street), Moosomin,Nipawin, Regina (Gardiner Park),Regina (Glencairn), SwiftCurrent, Whitewood

• Prescription Works Pharmacy,Big River

• Prince Albert Coop #1• R&C Drugs, Regina• Regina General Hospital

Pharmacy• Royal Drug Mart, Melville• Royal University Hospital

Pharmacy, Saskatoon• St. Paul’s Hospital Pharmacy,

Saskatoon• Saskatoon City Hospital

Pharmacy• Southey Drugs, Southey• Towers Pharmacy, Regina

We wish to congratulate andthank all the pharmacists employedin these pharmacies for their partici-pation in this pilot project.

President McCulloch gave herfinal address, reflecting on her goalsof the previous year and the accom-plishments of SCP during her ten-ure. She then invited RegistrarJoubert to conduct the PresidentialInstallation of the Incoming Presi-dent, Jeannette Sandiford. Follow-ing this ceremony President Sandi-ford gave her inaugural address(please see address on cover of thisissue).

President-Elect (effective July 1,2006) Bev Allen presented gifts toPresident McCulloch and her hus-band Bill McCulloch in appreciationof the time and effort they have pro-vided to the College.

P R O F E S S I O N A L O P P O R T U N I T I E S


:


Opportunities available for

licensed pharmacists

in Saskatchewan:

Estevan, Melfort, Regina,Tisdale, Weyburn

Please contact:

DRUGStore Pharmacy

National Recruitment Centre

Phone 1-877 NATL JOB(1-877-628-5562)

Fax 1-866 NATL FAX(1-866-628-5329)

E-mail [email protected]

Online www.drugstorepharmacy.ca


2 Full-time Pharmacists Required

Ashern Pharmacy, Ashern, Manitoba

Very generous remuneration and benefits packagewith extra incentives, flexible work schedule,

housing provided.

Contact: John Combs – Pharmacist/Owner

204-768-2824 (w) or 204-768-3366 (h)

Resumes may be faxed to 204-768-2084

If you require further information, please contactJohn or April @ 204-768-2824

Salmon Arm, BC

Great work, great play!

The Salmon Arm IDA Prescription Centre offers anexcellent opportunity to a full-time pharmacist who

wants to work closely with patients and physicians ina clinic pharmacy with a strong patient care focus.

Flexible hours, no Sundays or holidays, competitivewages, and a commitment to care make it a great place

to work. A Shuswap lifestyle that includes boating,golfing, skiing, and many other recreations

makes it a great place to live, play, and prosper.

The position is available immediately.For more information, please contact owners

Rod Bailey or Laurence Roy.

Box 907, Salmon Arm, BC V1E 4P1

Phone: 250.804-0700 • Fax: 250.804-0790

E-mail: [email protected]

Looking for a change?

Want to make a difference?

Medicine Shoppe Team requires a part-time pharmacist.

Hours of operation:Monday to Friday – 9:30 am - 5:30 pm

Saturday – 10 am - 2 pm

No evenings, Sundays, or holidays.

234 Primrose Drive, Saskatoon

Call 306-242-0222

Advertise your

professional opportunity here!

Rate for ad space is $125per business card size block.

Call Pat at 306-584-2292for further information or to place an ad.


S P E E D R E A D I N G

50th Convocation LuncheonMay 25, 2006 – TCU Place, Saskatoon

Relocation of the Regional Adverse Reaction Centre

The Saskatchewan College ofPharmacists proudly hosted the 50th

Convocation Luncheon to recognizethe College of Pharmacy and Nutri-tion, Pharmacy Class of 2006 follow-ing the Convocation Ceremony atTCU Place in Saskatoon on Thurs-day, May 26, 2006.

President Debbie McCulloch asMaster of Ceremonies welcomedeveryone to the luncheon and con-gratulated the graduates on theirachievements. Board Chair MargUstupski brought greetings from theRepresentative Board of Saskatch-ewan Pharmacists.

Following the graduates’ recita-tion of the Oath of Maimonides, thegraduates mingled with classmates,family and friends who joined themin celebrating this momentous day.

Congratulations and best wishesgo to the graduating class. To thosewho will begin their careers in theprovince, we say welcome and en-courage you to get involved in yourprofession. For those who have cho-sen to leave to follow a differentpath, we wish you well and hopethat you find everything you arelooking for – if not, we’ll be herewaiting for you.

President-Elect Jeannette Sandiford introduced the award winners

and presented the following:

SCP Gold Medal Award to:Ms. Amber M. SimmonsFort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan

The Campbell Prize to:Ms. Sherilyn K. ChorneyKamsack, Saskatchewan

The Canadian Adverse DrugReaction Monitoring Program(CADRMP) announces the relo-cation of the Regional AdverseReaction (AR) Centre in Saskatch-ewan to:Canadian Adverse Reaction

Monitoring – Saskatchewan4th Floor, Room 412101 – 22nd Street EastSaskatoon, Saskatchewan S7K [email protected]

In conjunction with the reloca-tion, the regional AR centre will bereferred to as regional AR monitor-

ing office and will be aligned withthe Health Canada Regions to pro-vide regional coverage.

The reporting mechanism re-mains the same. Toll-free phone andfax lines will be re-routed to the newlocation and mail will be redirectedto the new office.

To report an adverse reaction, re-quest a copy of the adverse reactionreporting form or to obtain informa-tion about the program, health pro-fessionals and consumers may usethe toll-free phone or fax lines:

Tel: 1-866-234-2345Fax: 1-866-678-6789

Calls will automatically be routedto the appropriate regional AR moni-toring office. AR reports can also bemailed to the regional office (seeabove).

The Health Canada website is avaluable source of adverse reactioninformation. To download a copy ofthe adverse reaction reporting form,or to join Health Canada’s Med-Effect e-notice and receive the Ca-nadian Adverse Reaction newsletterand health product advisories freeby e-mail, go to http://www.healthcanada.gc.ca/medeffect.

Monitoring ofPseudoephedrinePSE Transaction Logs

Lead to Arrests

On March 20, 2006, a pressrelease by the OSP (Oregon StatePolice) stated that information pro-vided by local pharmacists led to thearrest of four men in Cottage Grove,OR, and a suspected drug houselocated within 1,000 feet from a pre-school was shut down. State policeinvestigators were joined by federalDrug Enforcement Administrationagents and Cottage Grove policeofficers in serving a search warrantat the home where they foundmeth, PSE, all the chemicals usedto make meth, meth making para-phernalia, and directions on how tocook the drug.

Pharmacists alerted investigatorsafter noticing two individuals pur-chasing large amounts of non-pre-scription medication containing PSE.Information from pharmacists’ re-ports reviewed by police showedproducts were purchased by two ofthe arrested individuals from at least13 different pharmacies in theEugene, OR, area and led police tothe men’s identities. The pressrelease said the partnership withpharmacists was key to the investi-gation. (Reprinted from the Oregon StateBoard of Pharmacy Newsletter May 2006.)

scp volume 26 · smoking is addressed and action is taken. with approximately 1,600 deaths each...

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