Adapting a Prescription

No, emergency supplies are not considered “prescriptions”. Therefore, they do not cancel out the most recent prescription issued by an authorized prescriber and if there are refills remaining on the prescription, these would still be valid. In addition, as emergency supplies are not prescriptions, they cannot be transferred, however, a pharmacist at another pharmacy may choose to provide another emergency supply, if determined to be appropriate.

Yes, per PPP-58, a pharmacist must have a prescription that is current, authentic and valid in order to adapt a prescription. As emergency supplies provided by pharmacists are not considered “prescriptions”, they do not override existing prescriptions from authorized prescribers. If the pharmacist has the depleted prescription, they may renew this prescription for an appropriate time period as long as that time period does not exceed the expiry date of the prescription.

Yes. As long as the quantity dispensed does not exceed the stated amount authorized in the prescription, the pharmacist may utilize PPP-58 if the adaptation benefits the client (Policy Statement 13.b.ii). When the pharmacist adapts to 5mg twice daily, the pharmacist may dispense up to 60 capsules of the 5mg dose. 

A pharmacist must use their professional judgement to guide their client-specific decisions when renewing a prescription. Generally, this requires that the pharmacist be reasonably satisfied that there has been no clinically significant change to the prescription for at least 3 to 6 months, and the condition being treated is stable.

Yes. A pharmacist can make more than one modification in a single adaptation, if based on their judgement, it is deemed clinically appropriate to do so. 

Yes. A pharmacist may adapt a prescription from a prescriber who is no longer practicing, whether due to retirement, suspension, or other limits and conditions on their prescribing authority. See Policy Statement 6 in PPP-58.  

No. A prescription with no refills remaining, cannot be transferred to another pharmacy. See Health Professions Act Bylaws Community Pharmacy Standards of Practice.

 A prescription that has been adapted previously may be transferred to a different pharmacy in accordance with the Health Professions Act Bylaws Schedule F, Part 1. An adaptation does not create a new prescription, as such, the adaptation alone cannot be transferred—it must be attached to a prescription.  

It is important to note that adapted prescriptions for narcotics, controlled drugs, or targeted substances can only be transferred if allowed under:

Yes. There is no limit on the number of times a prescription may be adapted in accordance with PPP-58, as long as the prescription, at the time of each adaptation, is current, authentic, and valid.

Every adaptation is a new adaptation of the prescription. This means that when adapting a previously adapted prescription, the pharmacist must locate and refer to the prescription issued by the practitioner within their pharmacy management software system.

Yes, but only if permitted under a section 56 exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. The pharmacist may use their professional judgement to determine if they have the appropriate knowledge and if it is in the client’s best interest to provide an adapted renewal of a narcotic, controlled drug or targeted substance.

Renewals for narcotics, controlled drugs, or targeted substances must not exceed the prescription's expiry date and must not be for a duration longer than either the originally prescribed period or 30 days, whichever is greater.