Pharmacists can now prescribe antibiotics without a prescription, only in cases of cystitis or angina. To have access to it without going through their doctor, patients must meet certain conditions.
Antibiotics dispensed without a prescription by pharmacists. According to the decree published in the Official Journal this Tuesday, June 18, health professionals have this new skill. It only concerns medications against bacterial tonsillitis and cystitis.
The Social Security financing law for 2024 provided for these provisions. A way to relieve patients living in medical deserts or to avoid delays, sometimes long, in seeing a doctor.
Precise terms
This novelty is supervised, both on the part of patients and healthcare professionals. For the former, benefiting from antibiotics quickly and without a prescription must be justified.
In case of bacterial angina, You must be at least 10 years old. In order to establish a diagnosis, the pharmacist carries out a rapid diagnostic orientation test (TROD). It is if the test turns out to be positive, attesting to an infection of bacterial origin, that the healthcare professional can issue antibiotics.
Concerning cystitis, You must be a woman, between 16 and 65 years old and present clear symptoms. After a questionnaire, the pharmacist takes a urine strip. Once again, it is in the event of a positive result that the antibiotic will be delivered.
Necessary training for pharmacists
Before being able to perform these new acts, pharmacists must undergo training, the objectives of which are in particular the following:
- Identify and spot the signs and symptoms of angina and cystitis.
- Master the angina TROD or the urine strip.
- Prescribe antibiotic treatment in accordance with current recommendations.
Skills expanded since 2023
This is not the first time that pharmacists have seen their skills broaden. Since August 2023, they can prescribe and administer all vaccines in the vaccination schedule under certain conditions. Having equipment to eliminate healthcare activity waste with an infectious risk or computer equipment for the traceability of vaccinations carried out and access to the shared medical file are part of this. However, you must be at least 11 years old to be vaccinated in a pharmacy.
