Pharmacists to red flag risky drug interactions
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* Sylviane Duval

*   © 2007 Canadian Medical Association

Proponents bill it as a potential lifesaver. The more immediate goal of Ontario's “MedChecks” program, though, is patient awareness.

Under the initiative, Ontarians taking 3 or more prescription medications for a chronic condition can book a free, 30-minute consultation with their local pharmacist once a year. The consultation is designed to help patients take their medications as prescribed and better understand how they interact with each other and with over-the-counter drugs they may be taking.

It's hoped such knowledge will alert patients to the risks associated with combining medications or failing to take drugs as prescribed. According to Ontario's Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, only 50% of people actually follow dosage recommendations, while up to 12 000 Canadians die annually from adverse drug reactions.

Under the program, pharmacists will draw up a complete list of prescription, over-the-counter and natural medications that a patient is taking, and therein, identify any potential “red flags.” A copy of that list will go the patient and another to his or her family physician.

“This gives patients an extra layer of security,” says Canadian Pharmacists Association Director of Practice Development Barry Power. “The list will reveal, for example, whether a patient is taking 2 drugs of the same class, in which case the pharmacist will refer them back to their general practitioner to eliminate the duplication.”

“We still don't have electronic medical records that allow medical practitioners to know exactly what a patient is taking,” says Carol Kushner, board member of the non-profit agency PharmaWatch. “The potential for adverse effects, suboptimal dosing or overdosing can be a real issue for vulnerable people. Having a skilled pharmacist look at this issue is important. It may even open up new lines of communications with medical practitioners.”