Pharmacy scope of practice and access to Opioid Agonist Therapies after COVID-19

Sarah Lussier-Hoskyn, MA Economics BPHA, affiliated researcher CHPI
Brett Skinner, PhD, CEO CHPI, Editor CHP Journal

Under the regulations contained in the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), prescribing, selling, distributing and other related activities involving drugs like opioids are only allowed for designated health professions. On March 19, 2020, Health Canada issued an exemption, temporarily expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice to include activities usually prohibited by the CDSA. The exemption was implemented partly to facilitate continuity of access to opioid agonist therapies (OAT) for people suffering from opioid use disorder (OUD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article discusses the implications of making the exemption permanent.

PREVIEW: January 27, 2022 | PUBLISHED: January 31, 2022