The Pharmacist Will See You Now! Prescribing Medications in the Pharmacy
Pharmacists across Canada can prescribe medications for many common conditions—making it easier and faster to get the care you need when seeing a doctor isn’t an option.
Volume 16 • Issue 1
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Did you know that some pharmacists can prescribe medications to prevent or treat certain health conditions? Read more about the conditions for which pharmacists in different provinces and territories can prescribe. This service can help people get safe and timely access to treatments when it’s difficult to get an appointment with a doctor or nurse practitioner.
Examples of conditions for which pharmacists in Canada can prescribe (note that availability varies by province/territory):
- Smoking cessation: medications that can help people quit smoking
- Minor ailments: medications used to treat common conditions, such as seasonal allergies, skin rashes, cold sores, acne, simple urinary tract infections, and more
- Travel health: medications used for travel-related sickness, such as traveller’s diarrhea (prevention or treatment) or malaria (prevention only)
- COVID-19: medications used to treat this infection
Tips for working with your pharmacist to support safe prescribing of medications:
- Ask your pharmacist what health services they offer and if you need an appointment. Although pharmacists in your province or territory may be allowed to prescribe certain medications, some may not provide this service, or the service times may be limited.
- Fill all your prescriptions at one pharmacy, when possible. It is easier for your pharmacist to check if it is safe to prescribe a medication when your prescriptions are kept at one pharmacy.
- Use the 5 Questions to Ask about Your Medications to get information about the product the pharmacist prescribed for you.
- Keep a list of the medications you are taking. The next time you visit your doctor or nurse practitioner, use your list to confirm they are aware of any new medications.
This newsletter was developed in collaboration with patients and families.
Learning from consumer reports is shared with health care providers through ISMP Canada publications.
