College Launches Accessible User-friendly Website
The College is pleased to announce the launch of a new website designed to optimize user experience and accessibility. The website focuses on three main user groups: members of the public, current College registrants, and new applicants. This streamlined approach ensures that users can readily access information to support safe pharmacy practice.
College registrants can now find information on Legislation, Guidelines, Joint Statements, Quality Assurance, Professional Development, and a more thorough user-friendly resource library that can be searched alphabetically, by category, or through title or keyword search. An FAQ library has also been added to address common questions from website users.
Please visit the new website to explore an improved user experience: https://cphm.ca/. To assist the new site in propagating correctly, please clear your browser history before loading.
If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback about the new website, email the College at info@cphm.ca.
Methods of Prescription Transmission during the COVID-19 Pandemic
The College has received reports that some community pharmacies are refusing to accept paper prescriptions and requesting transmission of prescriptions by fax only.
Please be reminded that the temporary exemptions for faxing of M3P prescriptions during the COVID-19 pandemic are to facilitate patient access to medications by providing another method of prescription transmission. Prescribers can still use M3P forms for medications on the M3P schedule, and hand them to patients to present to the pharmacy as previously done. Handwritten and EMR-generated printed prescriptions with an original signature for drugs not on the M3P schedule must also be accepted at the pharmacy if presented by patients.
Pharmacists are also reminded to review the Joint Statement on Electronic Transmission of Prescriptions and the Joint Statement on Facsimile Transmission of Prescriptions for information on acceptable transmission of prescriptions.
Health Canada’s Guidance for Influenza Delivery in the Presence of COVID-19
Health Canada has developed a guidance document on the delivery of the seasonal influenza vaccine in the fall of 2020, during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It contains several recommendations and considerations for immunization providers in different clinical settings.
ISMP Canada Resources
The Institute of Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) Canada has developed several consumer newsletters and resources that can be shared within your practice, to promote safe medication disposal and National Drug Drop Off Month:
Learn more about safe storage and disposal of medications during COVID -19
Safe Storage and Disposal Information Card
Prevent Accidental Poisoning Caused by Cleaning Products and Hand Sanitizers:
Have unused medications overstayed their welcome?
Opioid patient resources with safe storage and disposal information:
For more information, visit https://www.ismp-canada.org/.
Staff Update
The College is very pleased to welcome Dr. Brent Booker as Assistant Registrar – Review and Resolution.
Brent has a demonstrated strong understanding of pharmacy regulation and standards, as a result of his past service on College Council, and more recently as chair of the Standards of Practice Division of the Quality Assurance Committee. Brent also brings a wealth of broad experiences to this new role, having a professional background in academia, clinical pharmacy, drug development, and serving for numerous years as a pharmacy manager in community pharmacy practice. Brent’s experiences and skills will be a positive asset to his new role in managing complaints resolution with the College.
Please join the College in welcoming Brent to his new role! We look forward to the breadth of Brent’s experiences, and his contributions to the work of the College moving forward!
Save-the-Date: Medical Examiners PD Announcement
The College will be hosting the second annual Medical Examiner Professional Development event on Tuesday, September 29, 2020, from 7 to 9 pm.
It will be hosted online only and will be recorded for viewing after the fact.
Accreditation pending. Stay tuned for more information!