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Dr. Yves Dour (Doctor in Pharmacy)
Since August 10, 2023, community pharmacists have been authorized to prescribe and inject vaccines from the vaccination schedule from the age of 11. What other missions have recently been added to these local health professionals? The point with Dr Yves Dour, pharmacist member of the committee of experts of Doctissimo.
According to a decree and an order published in the Official Journal of August 9, 2023, community pharmacists and pharmacy students from 6e year can now prescribe and vaccinate children from the age of 11 and adults.
Which vaccines are involved?
The vaccines concerned are all those recommended in the vaccination schedule, as well as that against seasonal flu. The only exception: live attenuated vaccines cannot be injected by community pharmacists into immunocompromised people. A prescription followed by an injection will be paid up to 9.60 euros and for a simple injection, the pharmacist will receive 7.50 euros.
“The condition for a pharmacist to be able to carry out this gesture is a qualifying training in prescription and vaccination of about ten hours.” confirms Yves Dour, pharmacist member of the committee of experts of Doctissimo. “Some of my colleagues have already done it, before the publication of the decree, but I do not know if they will have to repeat it or if they will be able to start prescribing and vaccinating with it” adds the specialist.
What are the other responsibilities of the pharmacist?
In addition to vaccination, other care missions have recently been entrusted to the pharmacist.
We can mention in particular the prescription and delivery of an antibiotic in case of cystitis, First of all. “This is a protocol that we have put in place, at the CPTS (territorial professional health community, editor’s note) of Le Mans. Pharmacists who have been trained in the protocol can do it, they even have the possibility of prescribing an ECBU (cytobacteriological examination of urine, editor’s note) if necessary” adds Yves Dour.
Other protocols need to be developed before being released. “It is a long-term job, the members of the CPTS must meet and discuss in order to develop a protocol. There are exchanges with doctors, in particular who also give their point of view. For the cystitis protocol, one of them, skeptical at first, finally welcomes the time saved for other consultations”.
Other protocols, for angina (with the possibility of carrying out a TROD test and prescribing an antibiotic), lumbago, seasonal allergies, chicken pox, eczema, among others, should soon see the light of day.
Then task each of the CPTS with setting up protocols and training for effective implementation in pharmacies.
The distribution of colorectal cancer screening kits and the renewal of prescriptions
Pharmacists can dispense colorectal cancer screening kits. According to Dr. Dour, “the distribution of these kits came back to us, because the doctors did not really do it in consultation, or they were delivered without explanation and people came to see us to understand how to do it, in the end”.
The renewal of prescriptions should soon be formalized by the Rist Law. “For the time being, it is possible for us to deliver, for a completed three-month prescription, the smallest packaging of the treatment in question, for one month, generally, or less if it exists. From now on, with the Rist law which will soon be promulgated, it will be possible to renew the treatment for three more months“says our expert.
The special case of the contraceptive pill
About the birth control pillthis is a special case, as explained by Yves Dour. “The contraceptive pill can be dispensed for an additional six months, from the moment the patient presents with her prescription, until the day before its expiry date. With the same prescription, a woman can therefore have a one-year prescription and six additional months.
What if the date has passed? “In this case, personally, I can help out a patient for a month. But this question underlines the importance of avoiding nomadism (the fact of not having a reference pharmacy, editor’s note), because a pharmacist who knows well, who knows you are being followed, will find it easier to do so“.
It should also be remembered that several emergency contraception drugs can be dispensed in community pharmacies, free of charge and without a medical prescription.
What will be the future missions of pharmacists?
According to our expert, the screening of cardiovascular risk, with blood pressure measurements and that of diabetes, on blood test, will soon be the prerogative of the pharmacist too. “It will probably be for the end of the year” believes Dr. Dour.
But how do pharmacists welcome these new missions? “It is both recognition of our profession and of what we do on a daily basis, as health professionals.” he believes. “But we must not forget an important obstacle, which is the remuneration. In some cases, such as for the distribution of screening kits, it does not take place until a year later. The fact of not being paid immediately may discourage some colleagues from accepting this type of assignment“.