CE programs should be required and authority should be limited to Class 6 drugs only. Authority would be based on the patient having seen a physician previously and any referrals would only be made by a physician. Pharmacist would be required to give physicians periodic updates on patient's progress. Pharmacist would assume liability. The following points provide a rationale for this recommendation.
Pharmacists are well-educated experts in drug therapy.
Pharmacists interact with patients more frequently than physicians and have access to the patient's full drug profiles. Pharmacists have the knowledge to adjust doses for drug regimens to ensure intended outcomes. Pharmacist and patient convenience will be enhanced. Pharmacists might not have complete knowledge of unlabeled drug regimens or therapies. A panel should be developed to determine a formulary that allows pharmacists to have prescriptive authority.