“There will be some pioneers in the days to come,” explains the president of the Federation of Community Pharmacists

The decree allowing the direct delivery of antibiotics by pharmacists appeared on Tuesday in the Official Journal.

“There will be some pioneers in the days to come”And “It’s going to increase in charge”explained Tuesday June 18 on franceinfo Philippe Besset, the president of the Federation of community pharmacists while the decree allowing the direct delivery of antibiotics by pharmacists in cases of angina and cystitis appeared in the Official Journal. “We are turning away too many patients who come to us to request this care”, he explains. The majority of doctors are opposed to this measure. They fear diagnostic errors. But Philippe Besset wants to reassure: “We will have to send our document to the treating doctors by secure health messaging so that they are informed of the care of their patient”he emphasizes.

franceinfo: How will this happen?

Philippe Besset: You can say “hello, I have a sore throat and I think I have angina”. This is how this conversation begins. From that moment, we have two or three questions to include the patient in the program. Then we take it to an isolated place. We have a series of questions which have been defined by the High Authority of Health to see if there are any particular problems which require addressing it to the doctor. At the end of this second questionnaire, we will do a test. If the test is positive, therefore if it is a bacteria and in this case, we will deliver an antibiotic with an appropriate dosage which is also regulated by the High Authority of Health. It’s actually a simplification of the journey for patients.

Does this require specific training?

Pharmacists will have to complete two training courses. They will have to register with the regional health agency to be authorized to provide these conditions. This will be indicated both on the doors of pharmacies, but also on the websites of the Ministry of Health. Expect this to be done on a very general basis in pharmacies starting in the fall, and we will say that there will be some pioneers in the days to come. It will increase in charge.

Are pharmacists looking for this new mission?

It’s a desire, but it’s also a need in fact. We turn away too many patients who come to us to request this care, for us not to be a driving force in this process. In fact, it’s a request from people. We are forced each time to turn them away, sometimes with people who don’t understand why, even though they almost know what they need. We have to tell them to go back to the hospital or emergency room to get treatment.

Will this help relieve congestion in doctors’ offices?

Yes, probably. It has to be done in good understanding. The care pathway is a journey that must be carried out between all healthcare professionals. What is certain is that the information will be transmitted to the attending physicians in such a way that they know what to say to their patient when the patient returns to see them. It is part of the protocol that we will have to send our act by secure health messaging to the treating doctors so that they are informed of the treatment of their patient.

Will this system be open to other pathologies?

Perhaps it will be open to other pathologies. But these must be pathologies for which the High Authority of Health considers that a questionnaire and a test are sufficient and that this does not necessarily require clinical examinations.

This will not accelerate the shortage of certain drugs?

Having to go through the test box to get the antibiotic will reduce consumption because our doctor friends do not always do the test. Unfortunately, in many cases there are viral tonsillitis which are treated with antibiotics. On the contrary, the test will make it possible to reduce consumption.