The Order in Council 665-2026 by the Gouvernement du Québec approves a regulatory amendment to the Regulation respecting the terms and conditions for the sale of medications under the Pharmacy Act. The amendment was developed by the Office des professions du Québec following consultations with the Institut national d’excellence en santé et en services sociaux, the Collège des médecins du Québec, the Ordre des médecins vétérinaires du Québec, and the Ordre des pharmaciens du Québec. These consultations are required under section 37.1 of the Pharmacy Act, which authorizes the Office to establish categories of medications and to determine who may sell them and under what conditions.

Under section 13 of the Professional Code, any regulation made by the Office des professions du Québec must be submitted to the Government of Québec for approval, which may be granted with or without modification.

The amendment modifies Schedule II of the Regulation respecting the terms and conditions for the sale of medications. Specifically, it removes the listing for ubiquinone, also known as coenzyme Q10, in oral dosage forms containing 10 milligrams or more. This removal effectively changes the regulatory status of these products by striking out both the substance and its dosage specification from the schedule that previously governed its conditions of sale. As a result, ubiquinone in the specified oral forms is no longer subject to the same restrictions that applied under Schedule II classification, potentially altering how it may be sold in Québec pharmacies and other authorized outlets.

The amendment reflects a routine but structured regulatory update within Québec’s professional medication control framework. It demonstrates the interplay between professional orders, advisory health institutions, and government oversight in adjusting the classification of substances based on evolving clinical, safety, or market considerations.

From a policy perspective, the amendment contributes to ongoing efforts to improve medication classification rules in Québec and ensure that regulatory schedules reflect current scientific understanding and usage patterns in clinical practice. It also reduces unnecessary restrictions on certain over-the-counter health products while maintaining appropriate safeguards for substances that continue to require professional oversight in higher-risk categories. More broadly, it demonstrates how the government of Quebec uses incremental regulatory amendments to keep Québec’s pharmaceutical framework aligned with evolving health system priorities, interprofessional consultation processes, and the need for consistent, evidence-informed governance of medication distribution across regulated retail environments and continued public safety assurance.

Quebec (665/2026) May 15, 2026
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