TOUGH NEW METH RULES

Pharmacies found paying methadone patients for their business will have
their Pharmacare funding pulled, essentially putting the errant drug stores
out of business.

The restrictions come as part of a new health ministry funding formula
announced Wednesday, that tightens the rules on how methadone-dispensing
pharmacies conduct business.

Effective May 1, pharmacists will receive payments for dispensing methadone
in three forms, including:

* Two cents per millilitre for the drug

* The usual dispensing fee (about $5)

* Plus $7.70 per patient, per visit.

The "per visit" fee replaces the current $105 flat monthly fee per patient.

Geoffrey Cridge, a pharmacist at Bus Stop IDA pharmacy in Newton learned
from The Leader on Thursday that a deal between the B.C. Pharmacy
Association and ministry of health had been reached.

"Sweet. It evens the playing field," Cridge says. "It represents the work
actually being done, it's per interaction."

The flat rate was unfair, Cridge says, as some patients come in daily,
while others attend pharmacies twice a week.

Cridge, who has been aware of the cash-back scheme for a while, is thrilled
something is finally being done about it.

"That's so cool. Well, the world has turned hasn't it?" Cridge said. "This
is where the press and real people work together to make some change - and
it worked."

The new Pharmacare policy will benefit all stakeholders, Cridge says.

"It's good for everybody, it's good for the patients, because they'll get
more even-handed therapy. They'll go where they're getting the best
treatment - not where they're getting 20 bucks or 40 bucks."

Pharmacare's new funding initiative also puts an end to the controversial
practice of paying methadone patients for their prescriptions.

Last December, The Leader revealed that some North Surrey pharmacies were
paying up to $40 cash to recovering heroin addicts for their methadone
prescription business.

Methadone is a synthetic drug used to reduce the effects of heroin
withdrawal, and less commonly for chronic pain.

As a result of The Leader's investigation, the B.C. College of Pharmacists
launched a review into the conduct of at least one North Surrey pharmacy.

Linda Lytle, registrar for the college, told The Leader that Kingston's
Pharmacy had until last Friday to respond to allegations that patients were
allowed to carry away their methadone doses, instead of consuming them in
the presence of a pharmacist.

If Kingston's chooses not to respond to the college by the deadline, Lytle
said the issue will go to an inquiry committee,likely by next month.

Meanwhile, Marnie Mitchell, executive director for Pharmacare said
Wednesday that the cash-back practice is over as of May.

"Pharmacies that are going to be paid this $7.70 interaction fee are
signing on to a contractual agreement with Pharmacare," Mitchell said in an
interview, adding pharmacies will be subject to spot audits.

"If they don't live up to the terms of that agreement then that agreement
will no longer be available to them ... at the end of the day that would
not be a very attractive option to them."

Bob Kucheran, executive director of the B.C. Pharmacy Association, helped
craft the new funding formula, and says it represents a significant step
forward.

He says a few pharmacists who have offered cash to patients have cast a
shadow over the profession.

"I regret that we've got one or two people who are going to spend all of
their waking hours thinking of new ways to find a loophole in this
process." Kucheran says. "I really wish them out of the entire profession."