All pharmacists in B.C. receive the Scope of Practice Round-up produced by the BC Pharmacy Association, highlighting important changes to the profession's scope. Updates will be distributed quarterly. Past editions can be found at bcpharmacy.ca/scope-practice-round.
New adaptation, emergency fill, drug administration data available
On Feb. 4, 2025, the Ministry of Health published updated numbers on pharmacist claims for adaptations, emergency fills and drug adaptations. The data is provided to illustrate uptake of prescription adaptations by pharmacists in B.C. since changes were made to PPP-58 in August 2024, and for drug administrations since injection scope was expanded in October 2022.
The new data reporting period includes numbers up to October 2024.
B.C. Premier outlines priorities in mandate letter to new Health Minister
In January 2025, B.C. Premier David Eby issued mandate letters for his government's cabinet ministers. The letters set out the Premier's expectations for cabinet ministers to prioritize progress on specific topics. Newly appointed Health Minister Josie Osborne's letter can be found here.
The following were among the notable items in Osborne's mandate letter:
- Review programs and initiatives to keep costs manageable
- Tackle training, recruitment, retention and system redesign to support health human resources
- Ensure every British Columbian has access to primary care
- Address temporary emergency room closures
- Require health colleges to recognize credentials of international health workers with similar/equivalent training programs within six weeks
- Reduce risk of diversion of prescribed opioids
- Expand access to nasal naloxone
B.C. government to require consumption of all prescribed alternatives to be witnessed
On Feb. 19, 2025, the Ministry of Health announced that it is making changes to require that the consumption of all prescribed alternatives, also known as safer supply, must be witnessed by health professionals. The requirement will be implemented immediately for new patients, with a transition period for existing patients.
The Ministry is also announcing changes to the fee structure for pharmacies that provide prescribed alternatives. Fees will be restructured for daily dispensing to better align with the cost of providing service and avoid financial incentive for bad actors to offer kickbacks to retain and attract new patients, and to try to take advantage of the system.
More information the transition for existing patients, including information on the Ministry's investigation on illegal incentives, is available on the Feb. 21 edition of the PharmaCare newsletter.
Updated NACI COVID-19 vaccine guidance
On Jan. 10, 2025, the Public Health Agency of Canada released the National Advisory Committee on Immunization's (NACI) latest COVID-19 vaccine guidance. Recommendations are based on current evidence and expert opinion, and apply throughout 2025 and into summer 2026. The province will determine and announce logistics and eligibility for the B.C. publicly funded program at a later date. Please continue to follow current BCCDC Immunization Guidance – COVID-19 Vaccines.
Coverage for Abrysvo™ RSV vaccine under First Nations Health Benefits Program for pregnancy
Effective Dec. 19, 2024, First Nations Health Authority beneficiaries pregnant between 32-36 weeks of gestation may seek coverage for Abrysvo vaccination. Coverage can be considered for those at 32-36 weeks at time of administration on or after Aug. 25, 2024.
Here are pertinent details for pharmacies:
- Currently, direct billing is not available for ABRYSVO.
- Clients will need to pay out of pocket and then apply for reimbursement. P
- regnant individuals receiving the vaccine between 32-36 weeks, who pay out of pocket for the ABRYSVO™ vaccine during RSV season (Aug 25-end of March), may submit an appeal for reimbursement through the existing Health Benefits Appeal process.
- Clients can appeal by submitting the following to FNHA Health Benefits:
- Signed FNHA Client Reimbursement Request Form
- Official pharmacy receipt for the dispensed supply.
- If the out-of-pocket expense is a barrier, clients or CHNs can contact First Nations Health Benefits at 1-855-550-5454 for support.
- The appeal should be mailed to: FNHA Health Benefits Program #540 – 757 West Hastings Street Vancouver, BC V6C 1A1
- Reimbursement is not available for older adults that receive either RSV vaccine (Arexvy or ABRYSVO™).
Free course on ordering and interpreting lab tests
Developed by the University of British Columbia's Continuing Pharmacy Professional Development team, the Introduction to Ordering and Interpretation of Laboratory Tests for Pharmacists course is designed to provide an overview of ordering and interpreting laboratory tests for pharmacists in B.C.
The course is available for enrolment as of Jan. 15, 2025, and details what tests to order for monitoring of patients, how to interpret a laboratory result and apply findings to patients and principles of laboratory stewardship to ensure appropriate usage of laboratory tests in pharmacy practice.
B.C. pharmacists were designed "referring practitioners" in the provincial Laboratory Services Regulation on Aug. 30, 2024, and are permitted to order certain laboratory tests for the purpose of medication management.
More information on requirements for laboratory test referrals is available on the PharmaCare website.
Joint report by Government of B.C. & BC Centre for Disease Control: Examining the Societal Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Since 1993, the Public Health Act has required the Provincial Health Officer to provide an annual report to British Columbians on their health status and the need for policies and programs to improve public health.
One of this year’s reports, a joint effort by the Government of BC and the BC Centre for Disease Control, titled Examining the Societal Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic, includes input from Métis Nation B.C. and the First Nations Health Authority.
The report summarizes the findings of this initiative, which explores the experiences of British Columbians during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2021). Its aim was to identify and assess both the positive and negative impacts of the response measures implemented to control the spread of the virus. This work not only informed pandemic response strategies but will also guide future preparedness plans.
Canadian Student Loan forgiveness pharmacist details announced
The Canadian government has published details of its planned expansion of the Canadian Student Loan forgiveness program to include pharmacy students, among other professions' students.
The proposed regulatory amendments are intended to come into force in fall 2025. The program is intended to support professions in under-served and remote communities. The proposed changes when implemented would mean that pharmacists may be eligible for a maximum of $60,000 in loan forgiveness, which is at the same rate as physicians, with $8,000 in the first year, $10,000 in the second year, $12,000 in the third year, $14,000 in the fourth, and $16,000 in the fifth year.
More details are available in the Canada Gazette.
Register for an updated Opioid Agonist Treatment workshop
For new pharmacists or pharmacists who are new to British Columbia, and/or are now providing services related to OAT, the BCPhA continues to host virtual workshops for pharmacies to meet the PPP-66 OAT training requirement.
OAT CAMPP training has undergone a major update to be aligned with recent clinical and regulatory changes. See the Updated OUD Guidelines for more information.
If you have completed the course previously, you do not need to retake it, and your credential remains valid. Prior participants can view the 2024 revised OAT CAMPP online modules and workshop slide package, which are available in their BCPhA e-training accounts.
The College of Pharmacists of BC Professional Practice Policy-66 requires all registrants who are employed in a pharmacy providing services related to Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT) to have successfully completed BCPhA’s Opioid Agonist Treatment Compliance And Management Program For Pharmacy (OAT-CAMPP). The registration fee is $50+GST.
Register for the 2025 BC Pharmacy Association Conference May 1-3, 2025 in Victoria, B.C.
This year, our conference sessions will start with a talk on artificial intelligence and what these new technologies mean for pharmacists, followed by a government relations panel with a focus on advocacy for health care, insights from a unique physician-pharmacist collaboration effort on the North Shore, plus an exciting introduction to the new Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences dean.
Tickets are on sale now. Early bird pricing is available before Apr. 1, 2025!
We are excited to share our initial speaker line-up for the 2025 BC Pharmacy Association Conference!
Territorial Welcome Butch Dick – Elder, Songhees Nation
Keynote David Chalk – AI & technology visionary
Government relations panel
Katrine Conroy, former MLA, Finance Minister, BC NDP Sonia Furstenau, former MLA, Leader, BC Green Party Todd Stone, former MLA, House Leader, BC United
Updates from BC PharmaCare Ian Rongve, Assistant Deputy Minister, Pharmaceutical, Laboratory and Blood Services Division
Physician-pharmacist collaboration Candace Travis – Practice Change Manager, North Shore Division of Family Practice Kyle Denley – owner & operator, Pharmasave Lions Gate
Academic insights
Dr. Lalitha Raman-Wilms – Dean, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia