From January, you will be able to consult your pharmacist for these six common pathologies in Occitanie

Six pathologies sont concernées. MAXPPP – Patrick Lefevre

À partir du 1er janvier 2024, le protocole qui permet aux pharmaciens de prendre en charge certaines pathologies fréquentes testé en Bretagne s'étendra à plusieurs régions dont l'Occitanie. 

To alleviate the doctors' crisis, Health Insurance is regulating a protocol which has caused considerable controversy within the medical profession: the management of certain pathologies by pharmacists.

Six pathologies concerned

Six fairly common and rarely serious illnesses or injuries are covered by the protocol. It allows pharmacists to diagnose and propose treatment for cystitis, tonsillitis, conjunctivitis, small wounds, tick bites and superficial burns.

A Breton pharmacist explains that the system is put in place quite quickly: "Depending on the symptoms that you are going to bring me and the questionnaires that I am going to do, we have a decision tree which will direct us towards treatment within the pharmacy, a orientation toward the doctor or even a direction towards the emergency room". 

Also read: Medical deserts: pediatricians, ophthalmologists, gynecologists… the alarming map of "the'intolerable health divide"

Soon in Occitanie

Tried in 74 Breton pharmacies for several years, the system which has so far proven successful will be deployed in other regions. Thus, Centre-Val-de-Loire, Corsica and Occitanie will benefit from the protocol from January 1, 2024 . ~/p>

The aim of Health Insurance and the Ministry of Health, which supervises the project, is to allow better access to care in areas poorly equipped with health professionals.  

In 2022, the Occitanie Region had committed to dedicating 1.5 million euros to hire 40 health professionals by the end of the year and fight against medical deserts.