April 25, 2025

Friday Five (April 25, 2025)

The April 25, 2025 edition of the Friday Five is now available.

  1. Extension – Consultation on the Proposed Changes to CPhM Practice Directions and Guidelines
  2. Guidance for Pharmacists on Interpreting Patient Self-Administered Automated Tests in Manitoba 
  3. National Immunization Awareness Week is April 21–30, 2025 
  4. Save the Date: 2025 Annual General Meeting 
  5. Updates to the Application and Registration Processes for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians 
  6. Professional Development Opportunities & Upcoming Events 

Extension – Consultation on the Proposed Changes to CPhM Practice Directions and Guidelines   

The College of Pharmacists of Manitoba (CPhM) is extending the consultation period on several proposed updates to existing CPhM Practice Directions and Guidelines. These updates are designed to reflect evolving pharmacy practices, address regulatory changes, and enhance clarity and patient safety.  

To ensure broad engagement and thoughtful feedback, the consultation period has been extended by two weeks and will close May 12, 2025. 

Learn More: Visit the dedicated consultation webpage to access comprehensive information on the consultation, including detailed documents and rationale for the proposed changes. 

Provide Feedback: Share your feedback and comments by emailing feedback@cphm.ca no later than May 12, 2025. 

We appreciate your dedication to the pharmacy profession. We look forward to your contributions to this important consultation. 

Guidance for Pharmacists on Interpreting Patient Self-Administered Automated Tests in Manitoba 

Under section 2(2)(c) of the Pharmaceutical Act, pharmacists in Manitoba are permitted to interpret – but not administer – patient self-administered automated tests.  

According to the Test Interpretation Practice Direction, a patient administered automated test is defined as any test that may be performed independently by the patient, without the assistance of a healthcare provider to yield a result. This includes tests conducted using chemical assays or medical devices.  

When interpreting these tests, pharmacists must adhere to the following requirements: 

For pharmacies involved in initiatives where patients present a “stand-by” prescription issued by a practitioner (with the appropriate prescribing authority), dispensed based on the results of a self-administered test, it is strongly recommended to develop a formal policy and procedures document in collaboration with partnering medical clinics or prescribers. This ensures clarity in the roles and responsibilities of all healthcare providers involved and promotes efficient, coordinated patient care.  

Please note that at this time, as per section 2(2)(e) of the Pharmaceutical Act, COVID-19 point-of-care tests remain the only tests that pharmacists may both administer and interpret. 

National Immunization Awareness Week is April 21–30, 2025 

The following information is shared on behalf of Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care.

Vaccines are one of the safest and most effective tools for preventing the spread of serious diseases. Take pertussis as an example: five years before the introduction of the whole cell pertussis vaccine in 1943, Canada saw an average of 156 cases per 100,000 population. These whole cell vaccines were later replaced with acellular pertussis vaccines in 1997/1998, which was followed by a steady decline in incidence to 2.0 cases per 100,000 in 2011. 

The theme of this year’s National Immunization Awareness Week (NIAW) is “Don’t let history repeat itself. Protect your future. Get immunized.” Pharmacists play a key role in protecting the public against vaccine-preventable illnesses. Pharmacists can administer the Tdap vaccine to any Manitoban 7 years and older. Consider offering the Tdap vaccine to pregnant people who are between 27 to 32 weeks of pregnancy or to those who may have missed their school immunizations. Check Schedule 2 of the Pharmaceutical Regulation to see what other vaccines pharmacists can administer as part of the provincial program. 

For more information, check out Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care’s resources: 

Save the Date: 2025 Annual General Meeting 

The College of Pharmacists of Manitoba (CPhM) will hold its 147th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, beginning at 7:00 p.m.  

We encourage all attendees to familiarize themselves with the documents in the AGM meeting package before the meeting.  

AGM Meeting package:  

How to participate: 

The AGM is a virtual event and will be held by webinar. You must register in advance to attend.  

Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/8417428469204/WN_QpP-HaeJTQmIC6dKzCbgMw   

For more information and full details, please visit CPhM 2025 Annual General Meeting | College of Pharmacists of Manitoba 

Updates to the Application and Registration Processes for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians 

The College of Pharmacists of Manitoba (CPhM) has implemented changes to the application and registration processes for both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. These changes include a newly designed online application system and simplified access to registration information. 

CPhM has consolidated multiple pathways into the two following categories:  

Each page provides clear details on the registration/listing process, fees, timelines, and an FAQ, making it easier for applicants to find what they need. 

For questions regarding the new pages or the registration/listing process, please contact registration@cphm.ca. 

Professional Development Opportunities & Upcoming Events 

ACS Network Heart Attack Day 2025 

  • May 2, 2025 
  • 8:30 am – 4:45 pm 
  • For more information click here 
  • Accreditation pending 

2025 Mandatory Professional Development – Advancing Equity in Pharmacy: Supporting Gender Diversity and 2SLGBTQ+ Patients 

Pharmacy professionals who were unable to attend the live webinar on February 5, 2025, must view a recording of the 2025 mandatory continuing education session by clicking here. 

Optimizing Prescription Writing: Essentials and Updates in 30 Minutes 

  • Click here to access the prerecorded webinar 
  • 1.0 CEU