Board also approves the subsequent submission of the regulations to the Ministry of Health following consultation
At its June 12 meeting, the Board of Directors approved a 60-day public consultation on proposed regulatory amendments that would expand the scope of pharmacy professionals to administer additional vaccines and offer appropriate treatment options for COVID-19 and influenza. These regulatory changes recognize that the Ontario healthcare system continues to see additional pressures that may impact patient access to care, particularly in light of a potential surge of influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and COVID-19 later this Fall. The proposed amendments would:
- give pharmacists and pharmacy technicians authority to administer the RSV vaccine
- give pharmacy technicians authority to administer vaccines from Schedule 3 of O.Reg. 202/94
- give pharmacists authority to prescribe oseltamivir (Tamiflu)
- remove age restrictions for the administration of influenza and other Schedule 3 vaccines by pharmacists and pharmacy technicians
- transition authority for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to administer the COVID-19 vaccine and for pharmacists to prescribe Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid), from the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), Controlled Acts Regulation (107/96) to the Pharmacy Act, General Regulation (202/94).
Please visit the consultation page on the College website to share your feedback on the expanded scope regulatory amendments by August 12, 2023.
Following the public consultation, the proposed regulatory amendments will be submitted to the Ministry of Health unless the Board Chair determines that there are substantive changes required that would necessitate the regulation be brought back to the Board for approval.