The Regulated Health Professions Act has undergone amendments regarding pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. These changes aim to modernize regulations and improve healthcare delivery in Prince Edward Island. The revised requirements for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians remove previous references to qualifications exclusively “offered in Canada,” allowing for a broader range of educational backgrounds. Importantly, pharmacists must complete the Pharmacist Qualifying Examination, ensuring they meet a standardized level of competency.

Additionally, both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are now mandated to maintain professional liability insurance with coverage of at least $2 million per claim, protecting both practitioners and patients. The regulations also emphasize the need for training agreements between pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and their preceptors, formalizing the training process and ensuring that these professionals receive hands-on guidance.

The amendments expand the scope of practice for pharmacists, enabling them to administer certain vaccines and provide emergency prescriptions. They can now prescribe limited medication supplies in urgent situations when a prescriber is unavailable. There is also a stronger focus on quality assurance, encouraging pharmacists to engage in activities that enhance professional standards and ongoing development.

Pharmacy technicians are assigned specific responsibilities under the supervision of pharmacists, including the preparation and labeling of medications, highlighting their vital role in healthcare. Furthermore, pharmacists are authorized to adapt prescriptions and make therapeutic substitutions, allowing them to better address patient needs.

New provisions also enable pharmacists to issue continued care prescriptions for patients whose prescriptions have expired, ensuring continuity of care for chronic conditions. These regulatory changes reflect a shift towards a more flexible and responsive pharmacy practice model, aiming to improve patient access to care and streamline healthcare delivery.

The revisions to the Regulated Health Professions Act underscore the evolving roles of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the healthcare system. These changes seek to improve access to care and safety and ensure that practitioners are well-prepared to meet patient needs in a dynamic environment. 

Prince Edward Island (EC2023-550) July 8, 2023