Thank you for your question.
On at least two occasions, Quebec has enacted various statutes that have expanded pharmacists' scope of practice. Last year, more than 7 million clinical acts were performed at pharmacies, including vaccinations and acts for the management of chronic illnesses. Pharmacists enjoy considerable independence and may prescribe many drugs for common minor ailments such as urinary tract infections in women, for example. We hope our scope of practice is expanded so we can do more.
However, these activities need to be funded. They're currently funded by prescription dispensing fees. This is what enables community pharmacies to be relevant and to have an available area where they can conduct those activities. It's essential for us that pharmacies maintain their financial health so they can continue playing that role.
I'd say that, for a few years now, we've had to do more and more with less and less in the way of resources. Needs are increasing and labour is scarce. Consequently, it's important that we maintain this stability so pharmacies can continue to play their role and meet the expectations of Quebec patients.