Independent pharmacists in Newfoundland and Labrador say an idea under consideration by the provincial government could put them under, permanently.

The Newfoundland and Labrador government has been considering new regulations that would lower the cost of generic prescription drugs.

While the move may benefit consumers in the short term, it could cause significant problems in the long run, including the disappearance of pharmacies in small towns, according to the Council of Independent Community Pharmacy Owners.

"That pharmacy right now is the health backbone of the community," said council president Robert Doyle.

"If the pharmacy was gone, perhaps the local doctor who is there, the family doctor, may decide, 'Well, there's no place for me here.'"

The council said generic prescriptions account for about 25 per cent of their revenue.

The council points to the advice it has received from peers in Ontario, where, they say, independent pharmacies have been closing at the rate of about one per week since the provincial government there introduced similar rules two years ago.

Phil O'Keefe, who owns and runs the only pharmacy on Bell Island, said more goes into filling a prescription than some may think.

"Every shift that I work, I check the profile of prescriptions — make sure it's due, make sure the dosage is correct, make sure it's the right prescription, and if there's a problem, I'll call the physician," O'Keefe said.

There are about 50 independent pharmacies in Newfoundland and Labrador.

While the provincial government has indicated it will not soon be pushing through with a cost-cutting plan for generic prescriptions, pharmacists want to ensure the changes never happen at all.

Gary Gosine, mayor of Wabana on Bell Island, said he wants the province to understand the service that pharmacists provide in small communities.

"Without a pharmacy here, a lot of the aging population are not able to go to St. John's and get their prescriptions on the other side," Gosine said.