I think I have strep throat. Could a pharmacist prescribe me an antibiotic or do I have to go to the clinic for a prescription?

45-year-old woman6 years ago
My two daughters have strep throat which was diagnosed by the doctor. If my sore throat becomes too intense and I have a red throat with white patches, can I go see my pharmacist?
0 like
1863 views
11 hours

45-year-old woman · 6 years ago
P.S. I am a type 1 diabetic on an insulin pump
Anne-Émilie Dionne · 6 years ago
Hello Mrs,
To briefly answer your question, you will indeed need to consult a physician to obtain a diagnosis of Group A Streptococcal pharyngitis and, consequently, an antibiotic. Unfortunately, the pharmacist is not authorized by law to prescribe antibiotics for this acute condition
Since pharyngitis/tonsillitis in adults is rarely of bacterial origin (only 5-15% of cases), I suggest that you take the following questionnaire ("Centor score" in medical terms) which may help orient the origin of the infection. Give yourself 1 point for each true symptom:
- You have a fever >38 Celsius
- You do NOT have a cough
- You have swollen glands in your neck
- You have whitish deposits in your mouth or on your tonsils
If your score is 3-4 or higher, the probability of strep infection is high (up to 50%). It may be worthwhile to have a throat culture or a rapid test done to confirm this.
If your score is around 0, 1 or 2, then strep infection is very unlikely (about 5-20%) and no further testing is recommended. In this case, I would rather advise you to take over-the-counter treatments that can reduce your symptoms such as painkillers (ex: Tylenol), lozenges or salt water gargles.
So, before consulting a doctor for this reason, you can better determine the probability that the infection is bacterial. Generally speaking, if you don't have a fever and you have other cold symptoms such as a runny nose or cough, it is most likely that the pharyngitis/tonsillitis is viral.
Hopefully this answers your question. Please be aware that your daughters are contagious up to 24 hours after starting their antibiotic! Have a good recovery.
Anne-Émilie, pharmacist

0 like

Looking for reliable answers?
Explore questions answered by real health professionals!