A Sandys pharmacist thinks it is time to consider overhauling Bermuda’s pharmacy legislation.

Pharmacy manager Krzysztof “Kris” Puciaty, said this was particularly true pertaining to new service additions.

He examined Bermuda’s Pharmacy and Poisons Act 1979 while studying for a Master of Laws focused on healthcare ethics, at the University of Dundee in Scotland.

His dissertation compared British legislation to Bermuda’s, particularly pertaining to pharmacists giving vaccine injections, and concluded that Britain’s was much more specific.

“There have been a few updates to the act over the years, but there has not been a revamp of the totality,” he said.

“I am not saying we should definitely change it, but we should look at changing it. If the pharmacy profession, in general, were to progress into new services, like in other countries, then the whole act needs to be looked at more.

“We need to see how it could be brought up to speed to facilitate that.”

Until recently, vaccine injections were not in the wheelhouse of local pharmacists. However, at the height of the pandemic, they were encouraged to take a course to learn how to give them.

As a result, several pharmacies started offering Covid-19 vaccination services.

Mr Puciaty, pharmacy manager at Caesar’s Pharmacy, took the opportunity.

“I was so nervous the first time I gave a vaccination during training,” he said.

However, he never really used his new skills, because the global health crisis began to wane soon afterward.

Speaking for himself, and not his employer, he said Bermuda’s act, when it came to the vaccinations, was quite vague, compared to the United Kingdom, where he worked previously.

“At the moment, it is slightly open to interpretation,” he said.

As an example of a potential new service, pharmacists can now register as independent prescribers of certain medications, in England and in parts of Australia and Canada,

“There are always extra services we could add on in the future,” Mr Puciaty said. “In the United Kingdom, the legislation is more modular, so that it allows you to add more pieces as you go along.”

A native of Poland, he first came to the island to work in 2011, after working as a pharmacist in Bristol, England. He left the island, then returned to work again.

In the United Kingdom, he found there were many guides to help pharmacists navigate the intricacies of British law.

“These guides are presented to every pharmacist in an easily digestible format, and are updated regularly,” Mr Puciaty said.

In Bermuda, he often had to read the Pharmacy and Poisons Act 1979 himself to answer any questions he had.

He loved working his way through the legislation so much, it inspired him to go back to school.

He already had a master’s in community pharmacy from Medical University of Bialystok in Poland, but had always wanted to do another degree.

“I did not really focus on that, though,” he said.

Four years ago, he decided it was time to get serious, and was accepted into the University of Dundee’s online programme.

For him, the most fascinating part of his dissertation was looking at the historic roles of pharmacists, apothecaries, chemists and physicians, to determine how it was decided who would do what.

He officially graduated in May, but decided against flying to Scotland for the graduation ceremony, because of work and family commitments.

Staff at Caesar’s surprised him with a celebration of their own.

“It was so nice,” he said. “I went downstairs and they were all there. I was really touched. I still have the card and graduation balloon they gave me. They are like that here. There are birthday cakes and celebrations when you least expect it.”