The Drug and Pharmacies Regulation Act (DPRA) legislation and its related regulations provide the framework for the Ontario College of Pharmacists to regulate pharmacy practice sites in Ontario.

Some of the changes come as a result of the passing of Bill 21: Safeguarding Health Care Integrity Act, 2014, which extends the College's authority to license and inspect pharmacies within public and private hospitals, as well as future authority over institutional pharmacy locations.

The College is currently seeking feedback on proposed revisions to the regulations related to the DPRA — Ontario Regulation 58/11.

Proposed changes:

• Outline performance-based expectations for pharmacy practice sites – including hospital pharmacies 
• Allow for flexibility as scopes of practice and technology are continually evolving
• Remove duplication
• Are very high-level without a lot of specifics 
• Look to standards, policies and guidelines to address specifics

For more information and to provide feedback. 

Feedback deadline: May 10, 2015

Following a 60-day public consultation period that ended on Feb. 10, 2015, Council considered comments received and approved proposed amendments to College By-Law No. 3. 

The amendments give the College the authority to:

• Post known criminal charges (if relevant to suitability to practise)
• Disclose members under investigation
• Post complaint outcomes: cautions
• Post complaint outcomes: specified continuing education or remediation program (SCERP)
• Post applications for reinstatement
• Post known licenses in other jurisdictions
• Post complaint outcomes: summary of variation

Criteria and processes for some of the information (e.g. determining relevance to suitability to practise) is currently being developed. The processes and criteria will be communicated once they have been established.  

We received and considered a number of comments and questions from practitioners and members of the general public during the consultation. Read more about transparency in the article from Pharmacy Connection winter 2015.

These changes are all part of our Commitment to Transparency.

More information regarding this topic and others discussed by Council at their March meeting is available in the Council Report.