A study of Manitoba pharmacists found strong evidence of growing shortages of pharmacists and prescription drugs, coinciding with the explosive growth of Internet pharmacy.

The results, which excluded pharmacists who have applied for Internet pharmacy licenses (5 of which responded), confirm that not only are pharmacists having difficulty meeting their patients' prescription needs, but they are also spending more time sourcing drugs and have less time to provide vital counseling to their patients.

"We will be sending these survey results to Health Canada and Manitoba Health," said Lothar Dueck, President of the Coalition for Manitoba Pharmacy, and an independent drug store owner in rural Vita, Manitoba. "They've been saying that they have seen no evidence of shortages caused by Internet pharmacy. Well here it is. And shame on them for not gathering the evidence themselves, before this problem became so big and patients were put at risk."

The survey found:

• 83% reported that more prescription drugs are in short supply now than 6 months ago.
• 85% said that they were spending more time trying to find adequate supplies of medicines than 6 months ago.
• 66% said that they are having a harder time finding sufficient pharmacists to care for their pharmacy's patients than one year ago.
• 37% said that they were being forced to reduce the number of hours their pharmacies were open to patients.

Greg Skura, Secretary-Treasurer of the Coalition and a partner in Brandon, Manitoba-based Super Thrifty Drugs said: "It's pretty clear to me that the only reason we're seeing such severe negative trends is because of the massive diversion of drugs and care to the U.S. by Internet pharmacy companies. The Internet pharmacies like to claim that the pharmacist and drug shortages are either a coincidence, or somebody else's fault. We're telling the Manitoba and federal governments that it's no coincidence. We're telling them it's Internet pharmacy's fault."

"Now the governments have evidence. Now they have to recognize the reality of the dangerous diversion of Canada's prescription drugs and pharmacy care to the U.S. cash market. Now they have to act," said Skura.

"With the rapid growth of Internet pharmacy, it won't be long before shortages hit patients' homes, resulting in an increase in adverse events and hospitalizations. This has to stop," said Lothar Dueck. "There is a limit to what pharmacists can do to offset these drug shortages, by calling around to different wholesalers, other pharmacies and even directly to manufacturers, to secure enough supply of medicine for our patients. This is only a stop-gap measure, which can't protect patients indefinitely, in the face of rising shortages and declining numbers of available pharmacists. Do we really have to wait until our people get badly hurt before government will act to protect patients?"

The Coalition for Manitoba pharmacy was formed by Manitoba community pharmacists concerned about the impact of the fast-growing international Internet pharmacy industry on Manitoba health care and on the pharmacy profession.