We know what happened in Ontario!
Here's what happened in BC !
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/07/09/bc-generic-drug-costs.html
---------------------------------------------
B.C. slashes generic drug costs
Joins Ont., Que., Alberta in cutting prices
Last Updated: Friday, July 9, 2010 3:33 PM ET Comments95Recommend52
CBC News
B.C. will slash the cost of some generic prescription drugs under a new deal reached with pharmacists. (CBC)
The price of generic prescription drugs in B.C. will drop by almost 50 per cent under a new deal reached with drug stores and pharmacists, according the Health Minister Kevin Falcon.
"Quite simply, we were paying too much for some of the most popular drugs for high blood pressure, heartburn, depression, epilepsy and cholesterol," said Falcon on Friday morning. "Change was needed if we want to keep drug costs sustainable and redirect the money to cover new drugs and provide better services."
Under the deal, the cost of generic prescription drugs will drop from 65 per cent of the brand name cost to 35 per cent.
Just as Ontario did when it moved to slash generic prices this spring, B.C. will achieve the savings by scaling back the rebates pharmacists get from generic drug manufacturers for selling their drugs, which can run as high as 60 to 70 per cent of the dollar value of the drug.
Ontario eliminated those rebates completely (B.C. is merely reducing them) and mandated that generics cost no more than 25 per cent of the brand drug, down from 50 per cent, effective July 1.
The new prices in B.C. will apply only to drugs covered by PharmaCare but will be available to employee and union drug plans and customers who pay for drugs out of pocket.
Ontario has made the deepest cuts to generic drug prices, but Alberta and Quebec have also recently reached similar cost-cutting deals with the industry.
The B.C. deal is expected to save the government about $170 million a year in PharmaCare purchases while union- and employer-sponsored drug plans and individuals buying their own drugs are expected to save another $210 million per year.
The deal, which will be phased in over three years, will also increase dispensing fees for pharmacists to help them cover the decline in revenue from the reduced prices.
The province spends more than $900 million a year on prescription drugs through the PharmaCare program, with generic drugs accounting for nearly $300 million of that amount.
PharmaCare covers some of the cost of prescription drugs for British Columbians who fall into a specified income bracket.Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/07/09/bc-generic-drug-costs.html#ixzz0uBdXgQ00
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
RESULTS FROM EGM
160 BC Pharmacists met up to discuss about the regulation of phamracists!
Here is what they talked about!
------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE ON THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING JULY 13, 2010
Thank you for standing up for our profession! Thank you for speaking out on behalf of our patients!
Over 160 pharmacists attended the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on July 13, 2010. Many pharmacists voiced their concerns and questioned the regulation of pharmacy technicians. Disappointingly, the College Board left most questions unanswered.
Two Board members, Bev Harris and Doug Kipp resigned to speak freely about their concerns against regulation. Pharmacists spoke overwhelmingly against regulation concerned with how public safety and their careers would be affected. This was confirmed by a vote with over 85% of Pharmacists in favour of a resolution not to regulate pharmacy technicians.
Below are some highlights from the meeting:
Liability:
The College Board was asked to provide every pharmacist in B.C. with a letter signed by the registrar and a legal counsellor that exonerates Pharmacists from liability for errors made by regulated pharmacy technicians in both provincial and federal courts.
Many pharmacists assume that we will not be liable for errors made by regulated pharmacy technicians because regulated pharmacy technicians will carry their own liability insurance. But liability will be determined in a court of law. During the meeting, the College Board stated that regulated pharmacy technicians would be liable for their own work. But they have never stated that pharmacists will NOT be liable for the work of regulated pharmacy technicians. The bottom line is that regulated pharmacy technicians will work unsupervised yet pharmacists will still be liable for their errors.
Public Safety and Certification:
The College mandate is to serve and protect the public. Yet their creation of a new health profession of individuals with as little as on-the-job training up to a maximum of 8 months of education receiving verbal prescriptions and performing the final check does not ensure public safety. During the EGM, a couple of Pharmacists pointed out that they must be involved in every step of dispensing from start to finish. That no separation exists between technical and cognitive—both are required to ensure that a prescription is filled correctly and must be completed in its entirety by a pharmacist to ensure public safety.
Why has the Board chosen not to certify? Making pharmacy technicians certified non-registrants is no doubt a better way to enhance public safety--it standardizes the education of pharmacy technicians and allows pharmacists to supervise and to continue to be involved in every task.
Cognitive Functions and Expanded Roles of Community Pharmacists
The College cannot guarantee that pharmacy technician regulation will lead to extra time for cognitive functions. The College cannot prevent chain drug stores from using regulated pharmacy technicians to cut pharmacist hours and decrease pharmacist wages. Chain drug stores will replace you with regulated technicians.
At the end of the meeting, a Pharmacist motioned to have a referendum sent to all Pharmacists across BC to vote on the regulation of technicians. The Board Chair, Randy Konrad, refused the referendum. A webinar was also requested prior to the EGM to enable Pharmacists across BC to partake in the meeting but the request was ignored.
Legality:
The Health Profession Act states that only the health services minister or the Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council can designate a new health profession.
Federal Food & Drugs and Controlled Drugs & Substances Acts regulations designate the taking of verbal prescriptions of controlled drugs and narcotics by pharmacists only. It also states that “A pharmacist may transfer to another pharmacist a prescription for a schedule F Drug” –ie any prescription medications. (C.01.041.1)
The College of Pharmacists has no jurisdiction for creating a new health profession. Furthermore, you will be breaking the federal law if you allow a technician to perform functions proposed by the College of Pharmacists.
We call on the College Board to honour the vote from the EGM resolution and withdraw its initiative to regulate technicians and instead retain the present legislation and/or certify technicians.
Here is what they talked about!
------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE ON THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING JULY 13, 2010
Thank you for standing up for our profession! Thank you for speaking out on behalf of our patients!
Over 160 pharmacists attended the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on July 13, 2010. Many pharmacists voiced their concerns and questioned the regulation of pharmacy technicians. Disappointingly, the College Board left most questions unanswered.
Two Board members, Bev Harris and Doug Kipp resigned to speak freely about their concerns against regulation. Pharmacists spoke overwhelmingly against regulation concerned with how public safety and their careers would be affected. This was confirmed by a vote with over 85% of Pharmacists in favour of a resolution not to regulate pharmacy technicians.
Below are some highlights from the meeting:
Liability:
The College Board was asked to provide every pharmacist in B.C. with a letter signed by the registrar and a legal counsellor that exonerates Pharmacists from liability for errors made by regulated pharmacy technicians in both provincial and federal courts.
Many pharmacists assume that we will not be liable for errors made by regulated pharmacy technicians because regulated pharmacy technicians will carry their own liability insurance. But liability will be determined in a court of law. During the meeting, the College Board stated that regulated pharmacy technicians would be liable for their own work. But they have never stated that pharmacists will NOT be liable for the work of regulated pharmacy technicians. The bottom line is that regulated pharmacy technicians will work unsupervised yet pharmacists will still be liable for their errors.
Public Safety and Certification:
The College mandate is to serve and protect the public. Yet their creation of a new health profession of individuals with as little as on-the-job training up to a maximum of 8 months of education receiving verbal prescriptions and performing the final check does not ensure public safety. During the EGM, a couple of Pharmacists pointed out that they must be involved in every step of dispensing from start to finish. That no separation exists between technical and cognitive—both are required to ensure that a prescription is filled correctly and must be completed in its entirety by a pharmacist to ensure public safety.
Why has the Board chosen not to certify? Making pharmacy technicians certified non-registrants is no doubt a better way to enhance public safety--it standardizes the education of pharmacy technicians and allows pharmacists to supervise and to continue to be involved in every task.
Cognitive Functions and Expanded Roles of Community Pharmacists
The College cannot guarantee that pharmacy technician regulation will lead to extra time for cognitive functions. The College cannot prevent chain drug stores from using regulated pharmacy technicians to cut pharmacist hours and decrease pharmacist wages. Chain drug stores will replace you with regulated technicians.
At the end of the meeting, a Pharmacist motioned to have a referendum sent to all Pharmacists across BC to vote on the regulation of technicians. The Board Chair, Randy Konrad, refused the referendum. A webinar was also requested prior to the EGM to enable Pharmacists across BC to partake in the meeting but the request was ignored.
Legality:
The Health Profession Act states that only the health services minister or the Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council can designate a new health profession.
Federal Food & Drugs and Controlled Drugs & Substances Acts regulations designate the taking of verbal prescriptions of controlled drugs and narcotics by pharmacists only. It also states that “A pharmacist may transfer to another pharmacist a prescription for a schedule F Drug” –ie any prescription medications. (C.01.041.1)
The College of Pharmacists has no jurisdiction for creating a new health profession. Furthermore, you will be breaking the federal law if you allow a technician to perform functions proposed by the College of Pharmacists.
We call on the College Board to honour the vote from the EGM resolution and withdraw its initiative to regulate technicians and instead retain the present legislation and/or certify technicians.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Please read this new announcement from Ontario...
Canadian Pharmacists Association expresses disappointment with Ontario announcement
(Ottawa, June 8, 2010) - The Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) today expressed its disappointment at the announcement made late yesterday by the Government of Ontario that it was moving to enact its previously announced regulatory changes that would dramatically reduce support to Ontario pharmacists and pharmacies in Ontario.
In April, the Government of Ontario announced regulatory changes that would eliminate $750 million in professional allowances to pharmacies, while slightly increasing the dispensing fee and compensation for other professional services a funding gap that has been estimated at between $200,000 to $300,000 per pharmacy in Ontario. In response, Ontarians loudly stated their opposition to cuts in pharmacy funding and pharmacy services. Furthermore, a coalition of pharmacist and pharmacy-related organizations pledged to work in good faith with the Ontario government to arrive at a regulatory solution that would achieve the government s objectives regarding generic drug pricing without putting into peril pharmacy services. Despite these efforts, the government announced yesterday that it was moving forward with its regulations virtually unchanged a move that will compromise the quality of care that pharmacists will be able to provide to Ontario patients.
Yesterday s announcement by the Government of Ontario that it is moving ahead with cutbacks to pharmacy care is devastating news to Ontario patients who rely on pharmacy services, stated Ms. Ruth Ackerman, President of the Canadian Pharmacists Association. We had hoped that Minister Matthews would have listened more carefully to the views of Ontarians who clearly stated their opposition to cuts to pharmacy services sadly this did not happen.
Despite the decision by the Ontario government to proceed with its regulations, pharmacists in Ontario and across Canada will continue to work with all jurisdictions to improve patient-centred care, lower generic drug prices, increase access to life-saving medications, and enhance the role of pharmacists in the health care team.
-30- The Canadian Pharmacists Association is the national organization of pharmacists, committed to providing leadership for the profession and improving the health of Canadians. For more information, please contact: Jeff Morrison, Director of Government Relations and Public Affairs Canadian Pharmacists Association 613-523-7877, x386 jmorrison@pharmacists.ca------------------------------
If this continues to happen, BC might do the same as well.
In addition to Pharmacy Tech regulation, this will definitely hurt our profession....
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
New building
| Location: | At the corner of Wesbrook Mall and Agronomy Road on the UBC Point Grey Campus |
| Size: | 18,382 square metres |
| Sustainability: | Built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification |
| Cost: | Total project cost is $155.2 million; $27.7 million to be raised by Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences |
| When: | Completion will be in late 2012 |
Though they say LATE 2010.... I hardly doubt that they will finish by then....
The current building is very old and small....
I want my new building NOW!
Friday, May 7, 2010
New pharmacy website
I had no clue when this was updated, but while cruising through facebook I saw some people mentioning new pharmacy website.
It's beautiful.
I was very happy about our new building but new website makes things a lot better for us as well. The old website was.... very plain and simple. I didn't like it at all.
It is professional, clean, organized and pretty.
I love it and
I REALLY HOPE THAT IT IS BETTER MAINTAINED THIS TIME....
no more 5 year old news on the most recent new board please!
www.pharmacy.ubc.ca
It's beautiful.
I was very happy about our new building but new website makes things a lot better for us as well. The old website was.... very plain and simple. I didn't like it at all.
It is professional, clean, organized and pretty.
I love it and
I REALLY HOPE THAT IT IS BETTER MAINTAINED THIS TIME....
no more 5 year old news on the most recent new board please!
www.pharmacy.ubc.ca
Monday, May 3, 2010
Post Final exam thoughts- Marks
wow ... just wow.
Either I am majorly happy or majorly depressed.
I don't know If I am the only one but..... I seemed to have done PRETTY bad on the CASE study section of Pharmacy 299/202 exam.....
I think I screwed up on the PPI regimen? supposed to be BID not OD????
bummer...
THIS IS ONE MAJOR DOWNSIDE/CHALLENGE IN PHARMACY FOLKS.
IF YOU JOIN PHARMACY BECAUSE YOU ARE USING IT FOR BACK UP FOR YOUR MEDSCHOOL..... I SUGGEST YOU DONT :)
If you make a little mistake on your assignments, exams that may hurt the patient's health.... YoU WILL GET A BIG FAT ZEROOOOOOOO.
So far, the blows to my GPA hasn't been bad.
Let's wait some more for more marks now
:)
Either I am majorly happy or majorly depressed.
I don't know If I am the only one but..... I seemed to have done PRETTY bad on the CASE study section of Pharmacy 299/202 exam.....
I think I screwed up on the PPI regimen? supposed to be BID not OD????
bummer...
THIS IS ONE MAJOR DOWNSIDE/CHALLENGE IN PHARMACY FOLKS.
IF YOU JOIN PHARMACY BECAUSE YOU ARE USING IT FOR BACK UP FOR YOUR MEDSCHOOL..... I SUGGEST YOU DONT :)
If you make a little mistake on your assignments, exams that may hurt the patient's health.... YoU WILL GET A BIG FAT ZEROOOOOOOO.
So far, the blows to my GPA hasn't been bad.
Let's wait some more for more marks now
:)
Sunday, May 2, 2010
My UBC Pharmacy life- Choosing pharmacy
End of 1st year.
1st year at UBC Pharmacy was quite interesting.
After 1 year of studying as a 1st year, I thought it would be nice to start a blog for those who are
interested in UBC Pharmacy. Just letting them know what it's like and what they can expect in the future.
I won't say anything about the interview process.... or the admission procedures etc etc.... because that could get me in trouble. I know when I was applying last year, someone had a blog as well and he/she ended up getting in trouble for helping students with interview questions and such....
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So,
Let me say some things about
How I came to choosing UBC Pharmacy
I entered pharmacy after my 2nd year of studies as a Microbiology student.
For those that have been doing their research know that you can enter UBC pharmacy after 1 year of Undergrad. To me I find entering after 2nd, 3rd and even 4th year is not much of a set back.
So... what was I thinking in 1st year???
In first year, I had no idea what I was going to do at UBC. Medicine? dentistry? Medical lab sci? Microbi, Biochem???? etc etc choices were there but I wasn't sure what to do.
It seemed like everyone I asked wanted to do Med or Dent.....
[We all notice that people always set very high goals for themselves don't we ;) ]
I wasn't very good at labs, but was very interested in Chemistry and Biochemistry... However, wasn't confident in myself to pursue PhD or masters...
My 1st year grades weren't too great. I had about 81% avg and about 82% pre-req average for Pharmacy. I probably could have applied in 1st year.... and probably would have if I knew more about it.
In 2nd year, I wanted to keep my options open so I could choose where ever I wanted to go.
I declared my major as Microbiology* and took the same science courses like everyone else...
Chem233, chem 205, Bio 201, Bio 200, Stats200 and etc etc etc etc....
I was dead this year... I spent a lot of my hours in the library so that I could boost my GPA.
((**OH BTW, If you have low GPA in 1st year you can take some courses that you will be taking in 1st year, 2nd year Pharmacy in ADVANCE! and those will count towards your GPA calculations for entry***))
I ended up boosting my GPA up to 86% Pharmacy Pre-req, 87% Med school, dent pre-req. I did do lots of volunteer works and club activities as well so I would at least have somethings to write on my applications.
At this point, I only needed to take 1 more course (Biochem 302) to have all my Pre-reqs for Med and Dent and my GPA was high enough to enter Pharmacy.
At this point, I started weighing the pro's and cons.....
MED- Very respected, high paying and rewarding.... but making life and death choices could be difficult for me. Also studying until 30 yrs old doesn't sound too appealing.
Dent- Very respected as well, Very very high paying and questionable in "rewarding" aspect in the profession. No disrespect for dentistry but I am not interested in looking at people's teeth... all the time... No life and death situations... but... this would've been my last choice if anything.
Pharmacy- Very respected??? not so sure. Not many people know the roles of pharmacists in the first place.... high paying job, rewarding and it only takes few more years until I start working.
So what is the roles of the pharmacists?
During the break, I volunteered at a Pharmacy for few months to find out.
The pill counting and dispensing stuff were not done by the Pharmacists at all.... hmm
The technicians were the ones that were doing all the work while the pharmacists spent their time checking prescriptions for errors made by the doctors, technicians and they counseled their patients.
It would take a long time to explain what I've felt after this experience. So instead, I encourage everyone to just get some experience as a volunteer and see it for yourselves.
After this, it was all in for pharmacy.
I took the PCAT twice because I wasn't satisfied with my 1st attempt....
And I entered UBC Pharmacy as 2013 graduating class.
I am sure many people have their reasons for choosing pharmacy. But what interested me the most is the relationship with the patients, and the respect they seem to be getting. Again I encourage you to get at least few weeks of experience before making your decision.
So, what do I think after 1st year of pharmacy?
I think I made a good choice.
1st year of pharmacy is very basic and just gives you a little taste of what the whole profession is like. I heard next year kills you though..... 7~8 final exams anyone??
*In UBC you declare your major in 2nd year.... kinda like saying " I wanna do this in 3rd year"... but basically everyone is studying the same thing in 2nd year still.... (except if you are in Chemistry, Computer Sci etc)
1st year at UBC Pharmacy was quite interesting.
After 1 year of studying as a 1st year, I thought it would be nice to start a blog for those who are
interested in UBC Pharmacy. Just letting them know what it's like and what they can expect in the future.
I won't say anything about the interview process.... or the admission procedures etc etc.... because that could get me in trouble. I know when I was applying last year, someone had a blog as well and he/she ended up getting in trouble for helping students with interview questions and such....
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So,
Let me say some things about
How I came to choosing UBC Pharmacy
I entered pharmacy after my 2nd year of studies as a Microbiology student.
For those that have been doing their research know that you can enter UBC pharmacy after 1 year of Undergrad. To me I find entering after 2nd, 3rd and even 4th year is not much of a set back.
So... what was I thinking in 1st year???
In first year, I had no idea what I was going to do at UBC. Medicine? dentistry? Medical lab sci? Microbi, Biochem???? etc etc choices were there but I wasn't sure what to do.
It seemed like everyone I asked wanted to do Med or Dent.....
[We all notice that people always set very high goals for themselves don't we ;) ]
I wasn't very good at labs, but was very interested in Chemistry and Biochemistry... However, wasn't confident in myself to pursue PhD or masters...
My 1st year grades weren't too great. I had about 81% avg and about 82% pre-req average for Pharmacy. I probably could have applied in 1st year.... and probably would have if I knew more about it.
In 2nd year, I wanted to keep my options open so I could choose where ever I wanted to go.
I declared my major as Microbiology* and took the same science courses like everyone else...
Chem233, chem 205, Bio 201, Bio 200, Stats200 and etc etc etc etc....
I was dead this year... I spent a lot of my hours in the library so that I could boost my GPA.
((**OH BTW, If you have low GPA in 1st year you can take some courses that you will be taking in 1st year, 2nd year Pharmacy in ADVANCE! and those will count towards your GPA calculations for entry***))
I ended up boosting my GPA up to 86% Pharmacy Pre-req, 87% Med school, dent pre-req. I did do lots of volunteer works and club activities as well so I would at least have somethings to write on my applications.
At this point, I only needed to take 1 more course (Biochem 302) to have all my Pre-reqs for Med and Dent and my GPA was high enough to enter Pharmacy.
At this point, I started weighing the pro's and cons.....
MED- Very respected, high paying and rewarding.... but making life and death choices could be difficult for me. Also studying until 30 yrs old doesn't sound too appealing.
Dent- Very respected as well, Very very high paying and questionable in "rewarding" aspect in the profession. No disrespect for dentistry but I am not interested in looking at people's teeth... all the time... No life and death situations... but... this would've been my last choice if anything.
Pharmacy- Very respected??? not so sure. Not many people know the roles of pharmacists in the first place.... high paying job, rewarding and it only takes few more years until I start working.
So what is the roles of the pharmacists?
During the break, I volunteered at a Pharmacy for few months to find out.
The pill counting and dispensing stuff were not done by the Pharmacists at all.... hmm
The technicians were the ones that were doing all the work while the pharmacists spent their time checking prescriptions for errors made by the doctors, technicians and they counseled their patients.
It would take a long time to explain what I've felt after this experience. So instead, I encourage everyone to just get some experience as a volunteer and see it for yourselves.
After this, it was all in for pharmacy.
I took the PCAT twice because I wasn't satisfied with my 1st attempt....
And I entered UBC Pharmacy as 2013 graduating class.
I am sure many people have their reasons for choosing pharmacy. But what interested me the most is the relationship with the patients, and the respect they seem to be getting. Again I encourage you to get at least few weeks of experience before making your decision.
So, what do I think after 1st year of pharmacy?
I think I made a good choice.
1st year of pharmacy is very basic and just gives you a little taste of what the whole profession is like. I heard next year kills you though..... 7~8 final exams anyone??
*In UBC you declare your major in 2nd year.... kinda like saying " I wanna do this in 3rd year"... but basically everyone is studying the same thing in 2nd year still.... (except if you are in Chemistry, Computer Sci etc)
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