Pharmacy rewards programs in Alberta won’t be scrapped — for now.
A week before customer loyalty programs at Alberta pharmacies were set to end on June 10, a judge has ruled they can remain in effect until a judicial review slated for early next year is completed.
Greg Eberhart, registrar of the Alberta College of Physicians, said the June 4 ruling won’t derail the organization’s efforts to put an end to what it believes are ethically questionable inducement programs tied to drug sales.
“We still believe it was the right decision and we’re prepared to defend that decision,” he said.
“We’re focused on doing the right thing.”
The College says because of rewards programs, some patients have delayed filling prescriptions in order to get bigger rewards, ordered more medication than required, or used multiple pharmacies, among other concerns.
It also believes the programs target vulnerable groups, including seniors and low-income earners.
Sobeys Inc., which operates Sobeys, Safeway and IGA among its more than 1,500 stores, called for the judicial stay, which was granted Wednesday by Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench Justice J.J. Gill.
Sandra Aylward, a Sobey’s Inc. vice-president, said the decision means rewards programs will stay in place until a judge rules otherwise.
“As a result of this ruling, Albertans will be able to continue to earn loyalty rewards on their pharmacy purchases, including Air Miles Reward Miles at Safeway stores and Club Sobeys points at Sobeys locations across the province,” she said in a statement.
Sobeys Inc. declined to make a spokesperson available Wednesday.
In April, the company launched an online petition dubbed “I Earned It” to defend the loyalty programs, which to date has been signed by some 38,000 Albertans.
A 2012 survey of Alberta pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and interns found 70% felt the inducement programs should be prohibited.
And that’s why the College is staying the course, Eberhart said. “We remain very confident in the decision of our council,” he said.
The judicial review is expected to begin in January 2015.