In recent years, the College has seen an increase in the number of complaints from patients who have received the wrong prescription when utilizing pharmacy services in BC.
It’s a bit surreal to think that this will be the last time I address you all, at the end of a 42-year long career in pharmacy...
February is Black History Month in Canada. Black History Month is about honouring and celebrating the achievement and contributions that Black People have made and continue to make within Canadian history, culture and society.
All existing PharmaNet users, including registered pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, must enrol in PRIME by August 31, 2023 in order to maintain their access to PharmaNet.
As part of BC’s ongoing response to COVID-19, on January 9, 2022, Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry issued an Order allowing a number of health professionals, including pharmacy technicians, to perform COVID-19 immunization activities with specific limits and mandatory training.
The following information has been adapted from the BC PharmaCare Newsletter Edition 22-001, published on January 05, 2022.
Prescribers and pharmacists are asked to add “SA” (safer alternative) to prescriptions and PharmaNet entries for prescribed harm reduction drugs. This will improve data for safer supply programs and identify unintended risks or harms. Prescribed harm reduction drug options are outlined in the Risk Mitigation Interim Clinical Guidance, the Opioid Use Disorder Practice Update, and the Access to Prescribed Safer Supply Policy
The Office of Controlled Substances (OCS) would like to remind Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (PRA) that as of March 31, 2022, tramadol will be removed from the Prescription Drug List (PDL) and listed in Schedule I of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA). Tramadol will also be listed as item 19 in the Schedule of the Narcotic Control Regulations (NCR) and therefore subject to all the regulatory requirements set out in the CDSA and NCR. Controlling tramadol will strengthen Health Canada's oversight of legitimate activities with this substance, and facilitate detection and prevention of diversion.
Adverse drug events, the unintended and harmful outcomes of medication use, are a leading cause of emergency department visits and hospital admissions. Approximately 30% are repeat events, meaning the patient was re-exposed to a medication that previously caused harm. Gaps in communication between acute and community-based care providers exacerbate this problem.
We want to ensure that community pharmacists receive the right adverse drug event alert at the right time. We want to hear your opinions about how the alerts look, if they are easy to understand, and what you would do when presented with certain types of alerts
The Jurisprudence Exam (JE) Modernization Project is now almost complete. The final phase of the Exam Development Process will be conducted after the February 2022 examination.
Because of this work, results for all 2022 JE sittings will be released approximately two months after the exam date. A new exam blueprint and updates to the JE Information Guide will be made available soon.
With the winter holidays approaching and many pharmacies adopting holiday hours, as well as adjusting to the challenges posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is important for pharmacists to ensure that they are able to accommodate the dosing schedules of patients receiving Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT).