This blind man has been fighting for years to get 'talking prescriptions' at his local pharmacy

Dean Steacy has been fighting for five years to get his local Rexall drugstore to adopt "talking prescription label" technology.

The Gatineau, Que., man has been blind for 17 years, takes insulin and up to 10 pills daily for diabetes and related conditions. 

He sometimes has to rely on others to help him manage his medications. The lack of independence "kind of takes away part of your dignity," he told Go Public.

And, because he can't see his prescriptions, he's always at risk of taking too much, too little, or even the wrong medications. An insulin mistake, Steacy says, can have grave consequences.

"If I take too much of that, or not enough of it, I can go into diabetic shock or hypoglycemia."

He says it's also a struggle to make sure he gets and can reorder the right medication. 

That's where ScripTalk comes in; a technology that uses a radio frequency chip attached to the bottom of a prescription bottle. It has the same information as a prescription label, including dosage, instructions, warnings and the number of refills, which can be read aloud by a reader or smartphone.

It has been available in Canada since 2010.

Steacy has been lobbying Rexall to adopt the technology since 2017. 

Though he was repeatedly assured the chain was considering his request, Rexall didn't make any progress for five years. By June, Rexall had informed ScripTalk it would not be adopting its technology after all, which Steacy heard about through his involvement in an advocacy group for people with sight loss. 

After Go Public got involved, Rexall changed its position, saying in a statement its handling of Steacy's request "fell short" of its standards and vowing to renew its efforts. 

"We are currently working with Mr. Steacy to implement a solution. Rexall is reviewing the use of this technology on a case by case basis," the company said. 

Separately, in late August, the chain promised Steacy that his local Rexall — on Laurier Avenue West in Ottawa — would be accommodating his request for ScripTalk.

Twelve weeks later, he is still waiting. Rexall did not respond to further questions from Go Public about the delay.