Starting today you can go the pharmacy for many services that would have previously required a trip to your doctor.

Changes to the regulations stated in the Pharmacy Act now allow pharmacists to prescribe vaccines for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, shingles, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and chickenpox.

Janice Audeau is a community Pharmacist in Corner Brook and is president of the Pharmacists’ Association of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Audeau says there are a significant number of people in NL who do not have a family physician or someone who can prescribe these vaccines but many places have a pharmacist.

She says it was a barrier for access to vaccines that are effective and prevent chronic disease so it just makes access a little easier.

By making access easier, Audeau says it prevents chronic conditions which impact individuals, but also saves thousands and thousands of dollars for the healthcare system.