medSask Access Extended
The Ministry has extended free access to the Medsask guidelines for all BC pharmacists until March 31 2028. This is welcome news with the potential expansion of the minor ailments program expected later in the year.
Have you accessed medSask guidelines and PARs recently? If not, here are some of the recent changes to further align with B.C. MACS scope:
- Significant updates to Guideline and PAR for Contraception, no longer an algorithm (November 2025)
- Guideline update for Dandruff (August 2025)
- Guideline update for Vulvovaginal Candidiasis (June 2025)
- Guideline, algorithm and PAR for Acne have been updated to include information on all topical therapies (April 2025)
- Guideline added for Atopic Dermatitis (March 2025)
MACS drug products document updated
In March, the Drug Products for Minor Ailments and Contraception information document sheet was updated to include the product roflumilast under atopic dermatitis. This list of products is kept regularly updated by the BC Pharmacy Association for commercially available prescription products that fit under approved categories for minor ailment and contraception prescribing in B.C. The list, however, does not include all products and is intended only for informational purposes.
Ministry of Health's scope of practice change proposal
The BC Pharmacy Association will be making a submission on a public feedback process initiated by the Ministry of Health on proposed changes to scope of practice of health professions including pharmacists. The BCPhA submission will be shared once it has been finalized.
The Ministry of Health is proposing to add eight minor ailments to the list of conditions pharmacists can diagnose and prescribe for, enable pharmacists to diagnose and prescribe for "priority" public health needs using a Ministry of Health approved protocol, and to put into the Pharmacists Regulation the pharmacist's scope for adaptation prescriptions, where currently it is authorized under a College policy.
The additional conditions considered by the Ministry for minor ailments include:
- Erectile dysfunction
- Folliculitis
- Genital herpes (recurrent episode only)
- Migraine
- Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy
- Perintatal vitamins
- Sinus infection
- Vasomotor rhinitis
Health Professions and Occupations Act comes into force on April 1
British Columbia's new Health Professions and Occupations Act will come into full force on April 1, 2026, replacing the Health Professions Act.
The table below shows some of the key changes impacting pharmacist you’ll see under HPOA as of April 1, 2026.
Terminology changes:
| Before April 1, 2026 | After April 1, 2026 |
| Health Professions Act | Health Professions and Occupations Act |
| Pharmacy professionals are "Registrants" | Pharmacy professionals are "Licensees" |
| Limited Registration | Provisional Licence (existing limits, conditions and renewal periods carried over) |
| Temporary Registration and Non-Practising Registration | These classes are discontinued |
|
Registration Email: registration@bcpharmacists.org
Licensure email: licensure@bcpharmacists.org |
Replaced with:
pharmacy@bcpharmacists.org |
| Registration Committee | Licence Committee (Board members not permitted) |
| Inquiry Committee | Investigation Committee (Board members not permitted) |
Discipline Changes:
| Before April 1, 2026 | After April 1, 2026 |
| Less serious disciplinary outcomes are not required to be published, if no formal hearing | All disciplinary orders are subject to publication |
| Discipline determined by Colleges | Discipline determined by Discipline Tribunal |
Governance Changes:
| Before April 1, 2026 | After April 1, 2026 |
| Annual General Meeting | Not required under new Act |
| Board members elected by registrants, public members appointed by Minister | All Board members appointed by Minister |
| Board comprised of 70 per cent registrants, 30 per cent public members | Board comprised of 50 per cent licensees and 50 per cent public members |
Medication incident reporting comes into force June 1, 2026
British Columbia's mandatory medication incident reporting requirements will come into force on June 1, 2026. The program, implemented by the College of Pharmacists of B.C., is called the Continuous Improvement, Reporting, Collaborating and Learning program (CIRCL).
The College has released three webinars to educate pharmacy teams about the new program. The latest webinar was released as a recording in March.
Links are available to the webinars below:
New standards for the delivery of controlled drug substances in effect April 1
On April 1, 2026, new standards for the delivery of controlled drug substances will come into effect. The new standards will replace Professional Practice Policy-71: Delivery of Opioid Agonist Treatment (PPP-71).
The new standards apply more broadly to all controlled drug substances and introduce stronger safeguards to reduce the risk of drug diversion and improve the safety of both clients and pharmacy professionals. All pharmacy professionals and pharmacies are expected to be fully compliant with tne new standards by April 1, 2026.
New standards:
LTC pharmacists can now submit SA requests for prescribers
Effective March 4, 2026, PharmaCare has changed its Special Authority (SA) policy to allow pharmacists working in long-term care (LTC) settings to submit SA requests on behalf of a collaborating prescriber.
To submit an SA request, pharmacists must:
- Be collaborating with a prescriber as part of comprehensive care at an LTC facility
- Have access to and ability to document care notes and SA requests in the LTC facility’s medical records
For detailed instructions on submitting SA requests, visit PharmaCare's Special Authority page.
Resources:
Canada Student Loan forgiveness extended to pharmacists practicing in rural communities
Pharmacists are now officially included in the Canada Student Loan Forgiveness program, making them eligible for federal student loan forgiveness when they choose to work in designated rural and remote communities.
Effective Dec. 31, 2025, pharmacists are now eligible for the same maximum level of forgiveness permitted as physicians. This recognizes the significant financial investment required to complete a pharmacy degree and the expertise and value pharmacists bring to the health-care system.
This move, which has been advocated for by CAPSI, CPhA and supported by the BC Pharmacy Association, aims to support recruitment and retention of pharmacists into rural and remote communities. More information about the program, eligibility and application information and community listings, can be found on the Government of Canada website.
March is Pharmacy Appreciation Month!
During Pharmacy Appreciation Month (PAM), keep an eye out for our ‘Thank You, Pharmacists’ posts on social media! Engage with the post and you’ll be entered for a chance to win a $200 gift card! Here’s how to participate:
- Like the post
- Comment with the name of your favourite pharmacy or pharmacist
- Share the post
Complete all three steps and you’ll be entered into the draw. At the end of March, we’ll randomly select one winner for the $200 gift card.
Look for the posts on BCPhA's Social Media accounts! Facebook | X.com | Instagram | LinkedIn
BCPhA 2026 Conference tickets on sale now
Register before March 31 to save $100 on registration. The BCPhA 2026 Conference will be submitted to the Canadian Council on Continuing Education in Pharmacy (CCCEP) for accreditation.
Join us from May 1 to 2, 2026 at The Westin Bayshore Hotel in downtown Vancouver for a thrilling line-up of sessions. Our Day 1 and Day 2 agendas are now available — and more speakers will be announced soon! Sessions are being submitted to the Canadian Council on Continuing Education in Pharmacy (CCCEP) for accreditation. We look forward to seeing you there!