Thank you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to be here today to discuss Bill 32, An Act to Amend the Pharmacy Act.
The bill is straightforward. Through the amendment to the Pharmacy Act, the bill will allow for the establishment of a prescription monitoring program.
The bill will permit the provisions of the Pharmacy Act that establish a prescription monitoring program to prevail over the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
A prescription monitoring program is a program established to allow the sharing of a patient’s medical information among prescribers, pharmacists and the person with the third-party oversight role, to promote optimal prescribing and dispensing practices for legitimate medical uses.
The program will allow for tracking to monitor if patients are being over-prescribed by receiving multiple prescriptions, or if certain health care professionals are over-prescribing.
The program will assist in early identification of patients at risk for addiction and lead to a reduction in the misuse and abuse of drugs.
I would be pleased to answer any questions Members may have today. Thank you.