2023-08-19 07:00:00
By GB
Posted 30 minutes ago
The measure complements those already taken at the end of 2022 concerning the administration of the vaccine, open to more health professionals. Farknot Architect / stock.adobe.com
The prerogatives of pharmacists are constantly expanding. Le Figaro takes stock of the news.
«Finally !The word is out. The publication at the beginning of the month of a decree concerning the new skills of pharmacists, nurses and midwives in the field of vaccination comes as a relief. It must be said that the measure was “eagerly awaited by the profession, but especially by patients», says Pierre-Olivier Variot, president of the Union of Unions of Community Pharmacists (USPO). They will now be able to go directly to a pharmacy to be prescribed a vaccine, in addition to administering it.
On the occasion of this further expansion of their powers, Le Figaro provides an update on the procedures or medical procedures that can now be performed in pharmacies.
Prescribing and administering vaccines
No need to go first to your doctor for a prescription, then to a pharmacy to buy the dose and a second time to the doctor to have your vaccines administered. Your pharmacist can now offer you the entire care procedure during a visit to a pharmacy. Please note that the measure only applies to people over the age of 11; for the youngest, it will still be necessary to ask for a prescription from the general practitioner or pediatrician.
The objective of the measure, already acclaimed by the High Authority for Health in 2022, is to improve the vaccination coverage of compulsory vaccines, including the DTP (Diphtheria-Tetanus-Poliomyelitis) and whooping cough vaccines, but also those recommended. The list therefore includes vaccines against hepatitis B, HPV (papillomavirus), whooping cough, measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), meningococcal type C and shingles, in addition to vaccines against flu and Covid-19, already prescribed in pharmacies.
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This measure must also accompany the development of the shared medical file (DMP) which allows healthcare professionals to directly access patient information. “This will make it possible to compensate for the frequent disappearance of the health record, which is a real problem for vaccination monitoring.says Philippe Besset, President of the Federation of Pharmaceutical Unions of France (FSPF). The system should also allow for a better distribution of tasks between health professionals, and therefore relieve congestion in regions where obtaining an appointment with a doctor is an obstacle course.
However, patients will have to wait a little longer before going to their pharmacist: before being able to prescribe, the latter must have previously validated a training course of around ten hours. “There are 60,000 pharmacists to be trained everywhere in France, unfortunately we cannot respond immediately to the demand“, explains Philippe Besset. Not enough to alert the unions, who are counting on ten thousand pharmacies ready for the start of the school year, for the first vaccination campaign against the papillomavirus (HPV).
Screenings and treatments
Pharmacists have also seen their role reinforced in the detection and treatment of certain diseases and infections. In addition to Covid-19 screening and rapid diagnostic orientation tests (TROD) for angina, influenza and diabetes, it is possible to request a colorectal cancer screening kit for people aged 50 to 74. , as well as a diagnostic orientation kit for angina. Pharmacists are also able to prescribe and distribute antibiotics in the case of urinary tract infections (cystitis).
It is also possible to ask your pharmacist for an extension of treatment for a duration equivalent to that indicated on the prescription. This also applies to contraceptive pills, within the limit of six additional months and if the prescription has not exceeded its expiry date: a prescription with one year of prescription entitles you to one and a half years of treatment. A preventive measure in sexual health, extended in 2022 by the extension of free birth control pills for women under 26, then certain male condoms in 2023. Finally, pharmacies that can afford it can offer teleconsultation services with a doctor from their pharmacy.
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