Prescribing authority for pharmacists as viewed by organized pharmacy, organized medicine, and the pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract

This study identifies attitudes of organized pharmacy, organized medicine, and the pharmaceutical industry about prescribing authority for pharmacists. A questionnaire designed to assess the impact of a legislative bill permitting a pharmacist in an organized health care setting to initiate or modify drug therapy was mailed to state pharmacy associations, state hospital pharmacy associations, state pharmacy boards, state medical associations, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PMA)-member manufacturers, and non-PMA-member generic manufacturers. Responses from 194 of the 307 invited organizations were used. The six organization types viewed the impact of the legislative bill differently (p less than 0.05). Hospital pharmacy associations and boards of pharmacy, to a lesser extent, supported the legislative bill; non-PMA-member generic manufacturers and state pharmacy associations were relatively neutral. The medical associations and the PMA-member companies opposed the passage of the bill. Furthermore, medical associations believed that the bill would not be passed in the majority of states in the next five years.