Prince Edward Island is amending its regulations governing pharmacists and pharmacy technicians through EC2026-955, the Regulated Health Professions Act Pharmacist and Pharmacy Technician Regulations Amendment. The amendments change the rules surrounding opioid agonist treatment and expand the list of common ailments for which pharmacists may provide certain services.

A major change is the removal of several regulatory restrictions concerning opioid agonist treatment. Clause 17(1)(b) of the existing regulations prohibited pharmacists from dispensing opioid agonist treatment. EC2026-955 removes the wording that created this exception. According to the explanatory notes, this change is connected to new federal requirements under the Controlled Substances Regulations, made under the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

The amendments also change the rules concerning continued care prescriptions. Subsection 21(2) is amended to remove the restriction preventing pharmacists from giving a continued care prescription for opioid agonist treatment where the original prescription has expired or all authorized refills have been dispensed. This means the provincial regulations will no longer specifically exclude opioid agonist treatment from this authority. Subsection 21(3), which addressed the previous regulatory framework, is revoked because it is no longer required.

Related changes eliminate the special authorization requirements that previously applied to pharmacists dispensing opioid agonist treatment. Clause 24(1)(e) and subsection 24(2.1) are revoked. Subsections 24(3) and 24(4) are also amended by removing references to subsection 24(2.1). These changes simplify the provincial regulatory structure by removing provisions that are no longer necessary following the federal regulatory changes.

EC2026-955 also expands Schedule C, which identifies common ailments under the pharmacist and pharmacy technician regulations. Three conditions are addressed through the amendment. Acute otitis externa, commonly associated with inflammation or infection of the outer ear, is added to the schedule. Acute otitis media, an acute infection or inflammation of the middle ear, is also added. Sinusitis is added as a further common ailment.

The changes therefore affect two distinct areas of pharmacy practice. The first removes provincial restrictions on pharmacists’ involvement in opioid agonist treatment so that the provincial framework corresponds with the upcoming federal rules. The second expands the range of common ailments specifically identified in Schedule C. Together, these amendments adjust the scope of pharmacist practice while removing regulatory provisions that are considered unnecessary under the revised federal framework.

Prince Edward Island (955/2026) September 29, 2026
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