The Need to Evaluate Risks and Benefits of Pharmacists Independently Diagnosing and Treating Dermatologic Conditions in Canada
Diagnosis and treatment in Canada were historically within the exclusive purview of doctors. However, legislators have recently expanded the scope of paramedical professions in the name of increased access to care and reduced cost; this rapid expansion now potentially raises concerns for patient care and safety.1 For dermatologists, such concerns are most poignant with regard to the expansion of pharmacists’ roles. Most provinces, with the notable exceptions of Ontario and British Columbia, have enumerated conditions for which pharmacists may diagnose, prescribe, and follow patients without physician oversight; a large proportion of these conditions are indeed dermatological.2-10 As Canada’s largest province now stands on the precipice of enacting similar legislation, it is incumbent on our medical community to consider the potential positive and negative impacts that such legislation may entail.11