September 1998 - New rules surprise Que. New rules surprise Que. The new regulations create three categories of prescription medications.
Prescription drugs fall under schedule one.
Listed under schedule three are drugs sold only in pharmacies. OTC medicines which are not assigned to one of these categories are unscheduled and available in general retail outlets. The changes mean that some medications that consumers are used to seeing on pharmacy shelves are now kept behind the counter, and require pharmacist contact. In addition, new practice standards state that pharmacists must begin a computer file on each patient who obtains a schedule two drug. This involves asking the patient to complete a questionnaire.