You soon will not be able to collect loyalty points or other rewards when filling your prescription in New Brunswick.
The New Brunswick College of Pharmacists voted to remove consumer-based incentives on prescriptions and pharmacy services during its annual general meeting over the weekend.
Anastasia Shiamptanis, the college’s registrar, said the move comes as pharmacists continue to play a greater role in the delivery of health care.
“They’re taking on additional responsibilities such as giving injections, including COVID-19 and other vaccines, and assessing and prescribing for minor ailments,” Shiamptanis said in an interview on Monday.
“Our role is to provide a regulatory environment where decisions about patient health care are solely based on patient health without any potential or inherent conflicts of interest when a reward is introduced.”
Prohibited incentives include rewards, gifts, including gifts of cash, prizes, coupons, points, or other mechanisms in inducement or loyalty programs that can be redeemed for rewards, gifts, cash, prizes, or other goods or services.
The changes would not impact credit or debit cards linked to an incentive, according to Shiamptanis. Incentives will also continue to be permitted on all items that do not require a prescription.
Shiamptanis acknowledged that people who use the points they collect for purchases such as groceries and toiletries would be impacted by the change.
“Providing an award for health care service would be in conflict with our code of ethics and ethical responsibilities of pharmacy professionals,” she said.
New Brunswick becomes the seventh province to prohibit consumer incentives, along with British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
The regulatory change comes into effect on July 13, as the delay between the decision and implementation will give affected pharmacies the time required to make the changes.
You can find more details about the changes by clicking here.
With files from Tim Herd and Brad Perry.
