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PharmaNet, which is administered by the Ministry of Health, is a secure province-wide network that links all British Columbia pharmacies to a central data system. All prescriptions dispensed at community pharmacies in BC are entered into PharmaNet.
PharmaNet, which is administered by the Ministry of Health, is a secure province-wide network that links all British Columbia pharmacies to a central data system. All prescriptions dispensed at community pharmacies in BC are entered into PharmaNet.
Happy New Year! I have a pretty good feeling about 2018. As you know, 2017 was an eventful year that, in many ways, set the stage for more of the same this year.
Key changes in the amendments to the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act include shifting the responsibilities of applying for a new pharmacy licence, renewing a pharmacy licence, and submitting changes of pharmacy licensure information from the manager to the direct owner.
Under the amendments to the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act, Authorized Representatives are individuals who are permitted to represent the pharmacy’s direct owner in the collection and submission of any and all information required to complete both the pharmacy licence application and renewal processes through the College’s eServices site.
Health Canada and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada are seeking input from healthcare providers, consumers, and other interested and affected stakeholders on different approaches to the naming of biologic drugs, including biosimilars, in Canada.
Annually, our students recognize and nominate exemplary practice educators for the Pharmacy Practice Educator of the Year Award. Students are able to voluntarily submit their nominations for those practice educators they feel have gone above and beyond for them, inspiring those around them with their engagement and passion for the pharmacy profession.
Melissa Sheldrick is foremost a wife, mother, teacher and patient safety advocate whose 8 year old son Andrew died in March 2016 because a lethal medication was substituted for his daily medication. When she discovered that there was no required reporting of the error made at the pharmacy, she began her patient advocacy work with the goal of having mandatory error reporting implemented in Ontario, and across the country. She vows to continue until all provinces in Canada mandate anonymous incident reporting to a third party for analysis and feedback.
Setting eligibility requirements to hold a pharmacy licence is one of the key changes to the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act (PODSA). Managers and owners will need to meet the eligibility criteria in the Act, in addition to requirements under the College’s bylaws for a pharmacy to be licenced by the College. These changes allow the College to better protect the public by determining the suitability of a manager or owner.
The College launched a new registrant renewal portal as well as a new employment section on eServices in December 2017.
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.
On January 1, 2018, amendments to Professional Practice Policy – 66, including changing its name from “Methadone Maintenance Treatment” to “Opioid Agonist Treatment,” come into effect. These amendments also include the introduction of new policy guides for buprenorphine/naloxone, and slow-release oral morphine.