It's true that pharmacists shouldn't be making independent decisions on diagnoses, says the APhA's Ellis. Not all pharmacists like the movement to change their jobs, either. But as managed care and cost-saving factors fuel the growth of pharmaceutical care, pharmacists and physicians may begin to find a common ground. Michael Levin-Epstein is Managed Care's Washington correspondent. It goes to the heart of the debate over the growing role of pharmacists in patient care.
Physician groups oppose the labeling change.
Yet pharmacists cite several reasons why including them as clinicians capable of giving advice is appropriate. It is much easier for consumers to ask a pharmacist in a drug store for help than to call a physician who may be inaccessible, the American Pharmaceutical Association says. Patients who have personal pharmacists depend on them for advice about what to buy and for information about drug products they've seen advertised, the survey found. We hope this rule will better inform consumers and encourage them to ask questions about dosage, side effects and storage so that they become more knowledgeable about the drugs they're taking. We want to educate consumers and have them take greater responsibility for their own care.