The Government of New Brunswick announced Tuesday that services connected to birth control and shingles treatments will now be covered by provincial Medicare.
A news release says residents are still responsible, however, for covering dispensing costs, prescribed medications and any fees for injections.
“Our model for primary health care is outdated and leaves too many New Brunswickers without access,” said Health Minister Dorothy Shephard, in the release.
“Expanding the role of pharmacists and other health-care providers will have a big impact on evolving our system to one that, no matter where someone enters the system, they are able to access the care they need.”
Andrew Drover, president of the New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association, said the announcement significantly improves access to reproductive care and shingles treatments.
“Pharmacists are vital, accessible health-care providers who can help transform primary care in New Brunswick,” said Drover in the news release.
“We look forward to finding more ways that pharmacists can help ease the burden on family physicians and emergency rooms while making it easier for patients to access the health care they need.”
New Brunswick College of Pharmacists Registrar Anastasia Shiamptanis said patient care is at the core of what pharmacists and pharmacy technicians do on a daily basis. She said having the proper framework and recognition of existing knowledge and education is “critical to enabling pharmacy professionals’ important role in primary care.”
The province said increasing access to primary health care is a key action item under its health plan it unveiled last fall.
