Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones says the province is looking to expand pharmacists’ powers to allow them to treat sore throat, shingles and a dozen more common ailments.
Jones says the government will consider allowing pharmacy technicians to perform tests for strep throat as well as administer vaccines for hepatitis, rabies and meningitis.
She says goal is to ease the burden on family doctors and hospitals and give patients more access to health care.
Pharmacists in the province can already treat and prescribe medication for 19 ailments including pink eye, cold sores and urinary tract infections.