MARCH 31, 2025 - RENEWAL DEADLINENo, out-of-province pharmacists are not recognized prescribers in BC. Although some pharmacists may have certain prescribing privileges in their own provinces, a valid prescription in BC must be written by a “practitioner” as defined by PODSA. Out-of-province pharmacists do not fall within this definition of a “practitioner” in BC.
According to the Health Professions Act - Bylaws Schedule F Part 1, upon request a pharmacist must transfer prescriptions to another pharmacy licensed in Canada, if the drug does not contain a controlled drug substance and the transfer occurs between a registrant and another registrant or an equivalent of a registrant in another Canadian jurisdiction. The Bylaw does not address transferring a prescription to the U.S.
No, out-of-province nurse practitioners are not recognized prescribers in BC. In order to prescribe, a person must be a “practitioner” as defined by PODSA. While BC nurse practitioners are authorized under the provincial Health Professions Act to prescribe, out-of-province nurse practitioners do not fall within the definition of a “practitioner” in BC.