A new report indicates
that pharmacists will expand
their role to prescribing
medications in at least 6
states in 5 years, according
to report author Kalorama
Information.
The state of Florida allows
some prescribing off an
approved list, and many
states allow prescription choice from a physician diagnosis.
The cost of copays and time spent on physician visits
will increase the need for drug decisions to be made at
the pharmacist level.
The report, Prescribing Pharmacists, a Decision Maker
Emerges, details how pharmacists already have a
tremendous impact on drug revenues, and companies
that do not incorporate a marketing strategy involving
pharmacists will lose advantage in the coming years. The
analysis indicates that pharmacists are moving from their
role of dispensing medication based on physician instructions,
to prescribing based on physician diagnosis, to
independent prescribing in some limited situations.
Inside the Issue
