Rexall rolled out the OneStopMeds program, powered by Ateb’s Time My Meds solution, to 445 of its pharmacies earlier this year.

KIRKLAND, Quebec — Pfizer Canada has partnered with Canadian drug chain Rexall on its OneStopMeds medication synchronization program.

Pfizer said Wednesday that through the med sync program, launched by Rexall in January, it aims to work with the drug chain to help improve medication adherence and health outcomes for patients taking multiple chronic medications.

Patients who fill three or more chronic medications on a regular basis are eligible for the service and enroll directly with a Rexall pharmacist. After consultating with a pharmacist, patients have their medications synchronized for refill on a date of their choosing, enabling them to pick up their drugs in one trip. Patients also receive a check-in message to confirm their prescriptions and find out if there are any changes, and a reminder message is sent two days before the scheduled pickup day.

Pfizer Canada is supporting Rexall’s OneStopMeds with data analytics and publication, insights and sharing of best practices.

“Pfizer is committed to working collaboratively with our pharmacy partners to demonstrate the value and role pharmacists play in the health care system,” Gerry Stefanatos, general manager of global established products for Pfizer Canada. “Partnerships such as OneStopMeds will improve medication adherence and ultimately patient care.”

Pfizer and Rexall cited research finding that 30% of Canadians stopped taking medication before advised or not as directed, 26% didn’t fill their prescription and 26% took less than instructed. What’s more, research shows that six months after being prescribed a specific treatment, 50% of patients do not adhere to it — a statistic that has remained unchanged for the past 30 years.

OneStopMeds is seen as a potential solution because it makes refills more convenient by reducing the number of trips to the pharmacy — to one visit every 30 or 90 days — and patients get the opportunity to talk with the pharmacist about the medications they are taking as well as their overall health, the companies noted.

“Rexall and our pharmacists are leading the way when it comes to delivering patient focused services, and the launch of OneStopMeds is another important step towards improving the health and wellness of Canadians,” stated Jürgen Schreiber, chief executive officer of Rexall Health, which has more than 470 drug stores overall.