Will pharmacists still be able to exercise their professional judgement when tempted by higher professional allowances from generic drug manufacturers?

The agreement with the government will encourage pharmacists to prioritize profits over quality, putting patient welfare at risk

MONTREAL, July 6, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - The Conseil de la protection de malades (CPM) welcomes the implementation of Law 41 and the government remuneration of pharmacists for a variety of new services. However, why must this good news be tarnished by business interests that will harm the credibility of pharmacists while reducing their professional independence and ethics? By cutting their remuneration by $133 million, the Minister of Health and Social Services is effectively steering pharmacists towards the generic drug industry, encouraging them to purchase medications from the highest bidder with no regard for judgment, independence or product quality. The interest of patients has been sacrificed.

According to the new agreement ratified by the Association québécoise des pharmaciens propriétaires (AQPP), the Minister of Health and Social Services plans to remove the the 15% cap on professional allowances that may be paid by generic manufacturers to pharmacists when buying their prescription drug products. "Is it really ethical to force pharmacists to secure their income by negotiating professional allowances with the supplier of generic medications who is prepared to pay the most? Now that pharmacists can prescribe medications, will their choices of medication be based on these allowances? Could we even imagine cutting the remuneration of physicians, asking them to find alternative funding from pharmaceutical companies?" said Paul Brunet, President of the CPM. "What will the public think?"

Rather than encourage pharmacists to seek sources of income that threaten their professional independence and ethics, we must compensate them based on the value of their services and their contribution to the health care system, as is the case for all other healthcare professionals.

The CPM therefore requests that the government review the agreement to ensure that it focuses on the well-being of patients above all else.

About the Conseil de la protection des malades 

The CPM is a private, non-profit organization that has been protecting and defending the interests of users of Quebec's health and social services network for more than 40 years. Through its Federation of user and resident committees in Quebec, the CPM brings together numerous such committees in health and social services institutions across the province.                                                     

SOURCE Conseil pour la protection des malades

Paul G. Brunet, m.a.p., President and CEO, spokesperson, Cell: [phone], Conseil pour la protection des malades, 1000 Saint-Antoine West, suite 403, Montreal QC H3C 3R7, Telephone: [phone], toll free: 1877.CPM.AIDE, Fax: [phone], Email: [email protected], Web site: www.cpm.qc.ca