The province will be providing an update on prescription drug limits introduced amid the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday, Premier Brian Pallister confirmed Thursday.
Health Minister Cameron Friesen is expected to give the update.
In March, the province placed a one-month limit on prescription drugs in an effort to curb potential stockpiling of medications during COVID-19.
“I think that as Canadians were introduced to the virus we saw some evidence of hoarding of other types of supplies,” chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said during Thursday’s COVID-19 press conference.
“So this is really a preemptive measure to try to prevent that happening prescription drugs.”
Prior to COVID-19, you could get a three-month supply of prescriptions drugs during a single trip to the pharmacy. For many, reducing the prescription limit has meant three times the dispensing fees, and three times the trips to the pharmacy during a time the public is being told to stay at home.
“The first challenge is the financial aspect of it, because every time you get a prescription filled you pay a dispensing fee,” Winnipeg resident Kardene Campbell said.
“Prior to this new kind of protocol, seniors, such as myself, were able to get prescriptions filled for two or three months. I think some had gone even as long as six, which meant only one dispensing fee.
“So now, each and every month, we’re paying this dispensing fee and probably not just on one medication but on multiple.”
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Campbell also has concerns about increased visits to the pharmacy.
“I would probably show up at the pharmacy every two months, now it’s every month,” she said.
Some Winnipeg pharmacists told Global News stockpiling hasn’t been an issue amid COVID-19.
“We haven’t noted many drug shortages over the last little while. There was a few in the beginning with certain inhalers and certain antimalarial type medications,” Tache Pharmacy manager Scott Groen said.
Other pharmacists said the limit didn’t have much impact on their business.
“I think the one month supply limit does help a little bit, but I don’t think it helps as much as the government thinks,” said Exchange District Pharmacy owner and pharmacict Ryan Chan.
“Mainly because a lot of the supply issues were happening way before COVID.”
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