New Brunswick College of Pharmacists decided at its annual general meeting on Saturday to ban pharmacies from offering incentives to consumers, such as cash, prizes, coupons or points for certain pharmacy-related purchases. The regulatory change takes effect on July 13 to give pharmacies time to adjust their services. “This change has been discussed for a long time,” Adele Wallace, president of the College of Pharmacists in New Brunswick, told a news release. “The college should provide a regulatory environment where patient care decisions are based solely on the patient’s health without any other real or perceived conflict of interest.” Wallace said she was pleased with the decision, which would allow New Brunswickers to choose their pharmacy based solely on the quality of care without the influence of incentives. This policy has become a trend across Canada, with New Brunswick being the seventh county to implement it. British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador have already banned consumer incentives for prescriptions. Anastasia Siamptani, secretary of the College of Pharmacists in New Brunswick, said the decision was made because pharmacists are being asked to play a bigger role in Canadian healthcare. “As our role evolves, there is a growing view among regulators that consumer incentives for prescriptions and pharmacy services are unethical for the profession and a conflict of interest,” Siamptanis said. He said the majority of Canadians do not already receive these rewards for prescriptions and pharmacy services.
