New CPhM Pharmacy Jurisprudence Modules Now Available
The College of Pharmacists of Manitoba has developed a series of online Pharmacy Jurisprudence Modules, which are intended to provide new pharmacy professionals in Manitoba with a strong foundation in provincial and federal pharmacy jurisprudence and practice. There are twelve self-study modules, which are now available on the University of Manitoba Continuing Professional Development website.
Council has made the decision that completion of these modules is mandatory for all pharmacy professionals, including local graduates from the University of Manitoba, international pharmacy graduates, pharmacists from other provinces, and pharmacy technicians, prior to attempting the Manitoba jurisprudence (JP) exam.
All pharmacy professionals attempting the JP exam on or after April 7th, 2022, will be required to show proof of completing the pharmacy law modules. Any pharmacy professional in Manitoba can also register to complete the modules. The cost of registration is $100.
Please click on the following link for more information on the learning objectives and registration: https://www.cpd-umanitoba.com/pharmacy-law/
Tramadol Scheduling Changes Coming March 31, 2022
As of March 31, 2022, tramadol will be removed from the Prescription Drug List (PDL) and listed in Schedule I of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA). Tramadol will also be listed as item 19 in the Schedule of the Narcotic Control Regulations (NCR) and therefore subject to all the regulatory requirements set out in the CDSA and NCR. Controlling tramadol will strengthen Health Canada’s oversight of legitimate activities with this substance and facilitate detection and prevention of diversion.
Record Keeping Requirements Starting March 31, 2022:
Pharmacists will be responsible for maintaining, in an auditable manner, all the records required by the NCR regarding their activities with tramadol for a minimum of two years. This includes, but is not limited to the following records:
- Purchase records
- Records of receipt
- Sale/Provision records
- Emergency transfer records
- Records of returns to licensed dealers
- Destruction records
Furthermore, pharmacists must include all tramadol prescriptions dispensed on or after March 31, 2022, in their special narcotic prescription file. This includes part-fills of tramadol that may be dispensed after March 31, 2022, pursuant to a prescription received or partially filled prior to the scheduling change.
Pharmacists must perform inventory counts and reconciliations on a regular basis (at minimum, every THREE months per provincial requirements, after a pharmacy move, and after a change in pharmacy manager or owner) to ensure all controlled substances, including tramadol, are accounted for. If discrepancies are discovered, they must be investigated. Any theft or unexplained loss of any narcotic or controlled drug must be reported to Health Canada and the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba within 10 days of discovery. Additionally, local police must be informed of any theft without delay.
For additional information, please see the related Controlled Substances Bulletin.
Councils for CPhM and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba (CPSM) will be discussing the addition of tramadol on the M3P drug list, like other schedule I CDSA drugs, within the coming weeks. Pharmacy professionals will be updated as more information becomes available.
Annual Learning Portfolio Review
The College is currently conducting the 2020 – 2021 Annual Learning Portfolio Review. Approximately 20 per cent of licensed pharmacists are selected to participate in this process, and emails were sent to the pharmacists who were selected earlier this week.
The Annual Learning Portfolio Review helps ensures pharmacists are engaging in continuous learning through accredited and non-accredited learning activities to remain eligible for licence renewal and to help maintain competence to practice.
Please check the primary email inbox for the email address that you have provided to the College as well as your junk folder to see if you have been selected to participate.
COVID-19 Vaccine Updates
From the Vaccine Implementation Task Force
The Vaccine Implementation Task Force (VITF) has distributed a memo clarifying recommended and minimum intervals for pediatric populations, adolescents/adult population, and moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals
Manitoba public health officials, the Manitoba COVID-19 Vaccine Pediatric Advisory Committee and the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) continue to recommend that the interval for children aged five to ≤ 11 years is eight weeks after dose one. This is because the benefit of a longer interval is expected to outweigh any benefit of a shorter interval, even in the current context of extensive community transmission of Omicron.
For children living in First Nation communities, the recommended interval continues to be 21 days after dose one (regardless of where immunization is taking place). Given the higher risk context in First Nation communities, the benefits of achieving full protection sooner outweigh the risks of a shorter dose interval.
An individual parent/guardian who is requesting an interval earlier than eight weeks for their child (but no sooner than 21 days), is required to discuss the risks and benefits with their immunizer or health care provider before vaccination to ensure a robust informed consent process. The clinician is expected to review the rationale for the eight-week interval to ensure the parent/guardian understands the risks of an earlier second dose. (NOTE: a prescription is not required for children to be immunized earlier than eight weeks).
Please click on the following link for the full VITF memo on the MB Health COVID-19 page for Healthcare Professionals https://www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/vaccine/healthcare-professionals.html
From Health Canada
Health Canada authorized a shelf-life extension, from 7 months to 9 months, for SPIKEVAX / COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna 5 mL vials. This 2-month extension may be retroactively applied to vials that are currently on the market with printed expiry dates between February 2022 and August 2022, as long as the approved storage conditions have been maintained.
For more information, please visit Health Canada’s Health Product Risk Communication page https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/shelf-life-extension-spikevax-elasomeran-covid-19-vaccine-printed-expiry-dates-vial
All pharmacy professionals are advised to subscribe to Health Canada’s MedEffectTM e-Notices for the most up to date information on important advisories and recalls from Health Canada and industry.
Practice Directions Consultations Reminder
Pursuant to The Pharmaceutical Act and Regulations and the Policy Statement on Practice Directions, CPhM welcomes the feedback of all stakeholders, including registrants and members of the public, through a transparent consultation process. To facilitate this process a webpage dedicated to public consultation has been added to the CPhM website. It is located at the “Consultations” tab under the “News and Events” heading of the CPhM homepage or alternatively at the following link: https://cphm.ca/news-events-publications/consultations/
To supplement the currently open consultations, summary charts of the proposed amendments to the following practice directions have been posted:
- Termination of a Patient Relationship
- Permanent and Temporary Pharmacy Closures
- Administration of Drugs including Vaccines
Please review the draft amendments and provide your feedback by email to feedback@cphm.ca by February 22, 2022.
Future consultations will continue to be announced in the Friday Five and posted on the CPhM website’s consultation page.
Call for Members – Safety IQ Advisory Committee
The College is seeking additional volunteers to serve on the Safety IQ (Safety Improvement in Quality) Advisory Committee. Members of the public, pharmacists, pharmacy students, pharmacy interns, and pharmacy technicians are welcome to join. Although Safety IQ is a mandatory continuous quality improvement (CQI) program for community practice, the committee is comprised of pharmacist and pharmacy technician volunteers from both community and non-community-based practices to provide different perspectives on CQI and patient safety.
The Committee serves as a resource to Council and the Quality Assurance Committee in matters related to Safety IQ. Following implementation of Safety IQ in 2021, the Committee will continue to evaluate the progress and success of the program and make recommendations to Council on program enhancements that will improve pharmacy practice and patient safety. More information about the Committee can be found in the Safety IQ Advisory Committee Terms of Reference.
To express your interest, please review information on Committee Service and submit a Committee Expression of Interest Form to info@cphm.ca. Please include a current copy of your resume and/or curriculum vitae within the email.
Upcoming Events & Professional Development Opportunities
January 29 – February 6, 2022
Register here
Palliative Care Pharmacy – Micro-Credential Program
February 4 – March 18, 2022
Register here