Pharmacists take on new role as healthcare providers
Jaclyn Katelnikoff on the patient-facing role of the pharmacist, the need for tech innovations in pharmacy, and the threats to the Canadian drug supply (900 words, 4.3 minutes)
Note from the editors: Hey, NPC Healthbiz Weekly subscribers! Look for something special in your inbox tomorrow. We’re about to launch the Preview Edition of “Dermatology.Business”, the latest newsletter from Chronicle Companies. It’s set to arrive tomorrow morning at 6:00 a.m., but if you just can’t wait, feel free to check it out right now at http://dermatology.business. And now back to your regularly scheduled newsletter…
Jaclyn Katelnikoff from Saskatoon exemplifies the evolving role of pharmacists in Canada's healthcare system. With Saskatchewan broadening the scope of practice for pharmacists, Katelnikoff and her peers are now prescribing medications for minor ailments, administering vaccinations, and addressing gaps in patient care. This shift highlights the increasing importance of pharmacists in providing accessible and comprehensive healthcare.
Katelnikoff’s career in pharmacy began with a desire to help patients and make a meaningful difference in their lives. “As a pharmacist, you sit at the front, and you help anyone that walks through the door,” she said during a recent episode of the NPC Podcast, “We don’t take no for an answer, and we don’t tell people that we have no answers. We just help them.”
Katelnikoff says she thrives on human connections. She recalls a particularly impactful experience in which she helped a young man who was struggling with his brother’s addiction and mental health issues. “He was picking up a prescription for his brother and mentioned that they’d had a horrible experience at the hospital emergency room,” she said. “When I asked what happened, he said the doctor told them, ‘I don’t help people like you’. I was horrified to hear that.” After that, Katelnikoff spent an hour with the young man, trying to assist.
As he was paying for the medication, she asked if his brother had been working. He said no and that they were struggling financially. Katelnikoff [pictured below] told him they shouldn’t have to pay for the medication themselves because funding was available. She gave him the application form for financial assistance, and he almost broke down in tears. “To me, I wasn’t doing anything extraordinary, just helping the person on the other side of the counter,” she said. “But the simple things I said seemed shocking and helpful to him. I love my job because making a difference for someone in need is incredibly rewarding.”
Katelnikoff said that technology has the potential to streamline operations and enhance patient care. She says technological advancements are needed to improve their processes, especially as they care for an aging population. She also highlighted the potential of social media for pharmacies, noting the challenges pharmacists face in adopting new technologies while maintaining personalized care.
Katelnikoff is vocal about the threats facing the Canadian drug supply, particularly discussions about exporting therapies to the U.S. “We need to pay attention to the Canadian drug supply,” she said. “There might be an opportunity for [generic companies] to produce solely for export.” She also highlighted the need for better protection and management of the Canadian drug supply to avoid shortages and ensure affordability.
THIS WEEK 07/16/24
The U.S. FDA approved Formycon and Klinge Biopharma’s aflibercept-mrbb (ahzantive) as a biosimilar to Eylea for the treatment of patients with Age-Related Neovascular (wet) Macular Degeneration and other serious retinal diseases.
Health Canada granted Marketing Authorization for the expanded use of Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor and ivacaftor (Trikafta) for the treatment of cystic fibrosis in patients aged two years and older who have a mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene that is responsive based on clinical and in vitro data.
Endo launched tiopronin delayed-release tablets, a generic version of Travere Therapeutics' Thiola EC. The medication is combined with high fluid intake, alkali (low acid), and dietary changes to help prevent the formation of one type (cystine) of kidney stones in specific adult and pediatric patients.
AstraZeneca announced that Health Canada granted a Notice of Compliance for osimertinib (Tagrisso) in combination with pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced (not amenable to curative therapy) or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.
NOW LISTEN UP
In season 12 of the NPC Podcast, Brian Bloom, CEO of Bloom Burton & Co., gives insights into changes in the Canadian Healthcare investment landscape, the return of the generalist investor, and the rise of consumer empowerment in healthcare. Hear him in conversation with podcast hosts Mitch Shannon, Jim Shea, and Mark McElwain.
HEALTHBIZ REWIND
This feature of NPC Healthbiz Weekly looks back at some of the most insightful moments from previous NPC Podcast episodes. In Healthbiz Rewind, you’ll read bold life sci predictions made during the renowned “Prognostication Korner” segment of the NPC Podcast.
Kevin Leshuk
President and CEO
FORUS Therapeutics
Season 02, episode 05
Listen to this episode here
Any last thoughts you’d like to convey to our audience? (This episode was recorded in October of 2020)
I’ve learned that there’s a lot of opportunity in the unexpected, and I’m pretty excited about what the future looks like. It is different. It’s not traditional in some ways. I think there will be a vibrant, traditional environment with many of the companies we all know, as well as some exciting up-and-coming companies that will be a new environment for the next 15 to 20 years. I think it’s all really good. We must stay out and find ways like we always have as Canadians through the Canadian life sciences community.
NEXT WEEK
It’s easy to get your no-charge subscription to NPC Healthbiz Weekly. We’ll send each issue to your phone or inbox at 6:00 a.m. sharp each Tuesday.
You are receiving this newsletter because you are a client of Chronicle Companies, attended a National Pharmaceutical Congress live event or webinar, or previously requested a subscription to one of our newsletters. If you no longer wish to subscribe to this newsletter, please email the subject line “Unsubscribe NPC Healthbiz” to health@chronicle.org.
NPC Healthbiz Weekly is published by Chronicle Companies, 701 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, N.Y. 14203. Canadian Office: 1460 The Queensway, Suite 212, Etobicoke, Ont. M8Z 1S4
Mitchell Shannon, Publisher; R. Allan Ryan, Editorial Director; John Evans, Joyce Pitters-Hands, Jeremy Visser, Editors; Cristela Tello Ruiz, New Business Development; Amy Elder, Intern
Content is copyright (c) 2024, Chronicle LifeSci America Corp., except as indicated. Are you interested in contributing to this newsletter or learning about the Chronicle’s services? Please write to us at health@chronicle.org.
Thanks for reading NPC Healthbiz Weekly. Be sure to subscribe to receive new posts directly to your inbox.
Share