Here’s what pharmacy professionals need to know about the new controlled substance rules

Health Canada’s new Controlled Substances Regulations will take effect across the country on Oct. 1, changing some of the rules pharmacists and pharmacy technicians follow when handling controlled substances.The regulations bring several existing federal rules for controlled substances under one framework. For pharmacy professionals, some temporary authorities will become permanent, while pharmacy technicians will be able to take on new responsibilities.Here’s what pharmacy professionals need to know. What changes for pharmacy technicians?Technicians can already perform technical checks for controlled substance prescriptions and serve as witnesses during their destruction. Starting Oct. 1, pharmacy technicians and intern technicians will be authorized to:accept verbal prescriptions for controlled substances from a practitioner;receive controlled substances;transfer prescriptions for controlled substances to another pharmacy technician or pharmacist in Canada within two years of the date the prescription was received;destroy controlled substances at a community pharmacy or in a hospital.What changes for pharmacists?Pharmacists and interns will continue to be able to order and receive controlled substances and accept verbal prescriptions. Pharmacists can already transfer, renew and adapt controlled substance prescriptions under a temporary federal exemption. The new regulations keep those powers but change some of the rules around how they can be used.Starting Oct. 1, pharmacists and interns will be authorized to:transfer controlled substance prescriptions to another pharmacist or pharmacy technician in Canada within two years of receiving the prescription;extend or adapt controlled substance prescriptions within two years of receiving them;de-prescribe controlled substance prescriptions as an adaptation, or part-fill them in accordance with applicable provincial rules.The first two changes put a two-year window around powers pharmacists already have under the temporary federal exemption. Pharmacists will also be able to transfer prescriptions to pharmacy technicians. De-prescribing controlled substance prescriptions as an adaptation is a new authority.Pharmacy professionals can review the complete requirements in Health Canada’s Controlled Substances Regulations.

Here’s what pharmacy professionals need to know about the new controlled substance rules

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