Pharmacists in New Brunswick could soon be allowed to prescribe some medications without authorization from a doctor.

Last week Health Minister Mike Murphy indicated pharmacists could be given more professional responsibility, including the power to prescribe certain drugs.

Pharmacists at their annual meeting in Saint John over the weekend were excited about the possibility of additional powers to meet the health needs of their customers.

Saint John pharmacist Janet MacDonnell said it would make everyone's life easier if pharmacists could prescribe certain drugs. Some simple cases, such as insect bites requiring a prescribed ointment, could easily be handled at her counter.

"You know it's a safe product, easy to determine and assess … so instead of sending a patient to the waiting room at the emergency department to get a prescription for that, that's an intervention that could be handled quite easily," MacDonnell said.

Jeannie Collins-Beaudin, who owns a pharmacy in Keswick, said the current rules can be frustrating because pharmacists can't refill a simple, continuing prescription without authorization from a doctor.

"Pharmacists putting pills in bottles and checking, that's all important, but there's so much more we can do to help promote people's health and make sure they're healthy and make sure the medication they're using is doing what it's supposed to do," Collins-Beaudin said.

Health Minister Mike Murphy said he will consult with physicians and pharmacists before making any final decisions.