AUTHORITIES in Chicago, USA have proposed new regulations which would limit the hours and workloads of pharmacists.
The plan is currently before the Chicago City Council, and was inspired by a 2016 Chicago Tribune mystery shopping investigation that found more than half of 255 pharmacies across the region failed to warn consumers about potentially harmful or fatal drug interactions.
The Illinois Pharmacists Association has admitted that the Tribunal findings are "concerning and inexcusable" but says they aren't an accurate representation of the sector as a whole.
The proposal would formally limit the hours pharmacists can work and restrict the number of prescriptions they can dispense per hour, as well as enforce meal and break times and provide protection for whistleblowers who highlight breaches of the rules.
The newspaper cited examples of pharmacists who said they felt overwhelmed by workplace pressure and requirements to fill prescription quotas.
While major chains such as CVS, Walgreens and Wal-Mart had significant failure rates to warn about interactions, the worst performers were independent pharmacies where 72% did not provide the required information.
Councillors are proposing that pharmacists be required to counsel patients about drug interactions and other issues when dispensing a medication to a patient for the first time or when a prescription changes.
The proposals are being staunchly opposed by pharmacy groups, who warn the changes would result in higher costs and make it harder for pharmacists to balance a "sustainable practice and quality patient care".
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