MARCH 31, 2025 - RENEWAL DEADLINEAs part of the Government of Canada’s response to the opioid crisis, Health Canada removed the requirement for an exemption under section 56(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to prescribe or administer methadone.
The change came into effect on May 19, 2018 and is intended to increase access to opioid agonist treatment.
With the holidays approaching and many pharmacies adopting shortened holiday schedules, it is important that pharmacists with MMT patients who require daily witness ingestion ensure that they are able to accommodate these patient’s dosing schedules.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia is hosting an introductory workshop in the use of methadone for the treatment of opioid dependence and in the provision of methadone prescribing for hospital patients (both for analgesia and opioid dependence).
Methadone 101/Hospitalist Workshop
Saturday, May 9, 2015
8 a.m. to 5 p.m
Vancouver Convention Centre
1055 Canada Place, Level 1, Lecture Room 118
On February 1st, the College – in partnership with the College of Physicians and Surgeons, PharmaCare and other healthcare stakeholders – implemented updated pharmacy Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) standards; the methadone product has now transitioned from a 1 mg/ml to 10 mg/ml.
The month of February was a transitional month, where pharmacists could dispense methadone 1 mg/ml for prescriptions written in January 2014 or methadone 10mg/ml for prescriptions written February 2014 and beyond.
The standard concentration of methadone is changing to 10 mg/ml. As a result, signifi cant changes were made to standards and guidelines for Professional Practice Policy 66 (PPP-66) Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT).
http://www.bcpharmacists.org/about_us/key_initiatives/index/articles/144...
Significant changes to PPP-66 (Methadone for Maintenance Treatment) and the Methadone Maintenance Treatment Policy Guide are coming. If you are involved in pharmacy services related to methadone maintenance treatment, you need to know about these changes and how it will affect your patients.
The College is offering free ‘live’ training sessions, but space is limited. Register now by logging into eServices on the College website. If you are unable to attend any of the ‘live’ sessions an ‘online’ training program will be available to you soon.