- Controlled Substance Regulation Changes
- Students Administration of Drugs and Vaccines by Injection
- Call for Applications Open: Council Vacancy
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine Updates
- Continuing Competency Matters
- Renewal Reminder – Learning Plan
- Quality Improvement Initiative Survey Reminder
- CPhM Office Closure Notice
- Professional Development Opportunities & Upcoming Events
Controlled Substances Regulations Changes
On October 1, 2026, Health Canda implemented a new set of regulations under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA). The Controlled Substances Regulations (CSR) replace several existing regulations made under the CDSA and affect regular pharmacy practice associated with controlled substances.
Health regulation falls under provincial jurisdiction. Therefore, the new federal regulations will be implemented differently across provinces, based on provincial legislation in each jurisdiction. Not all changes introduced by the CSR apply in Manitoba. Limitations in Manitoba legislation restrict the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba (CPhM) in what provisions are implemented from the CSR as it applies to pharmacy practice in this province.
To help pharmacy professionals practising in Manitoba, CPhM has created a webpage which provides information on key changes, resources, next steps, and a frequently asked question (FAQ) section. If you have already accessed the webpage, please note the resources and FAQ have been recently updated, including an updated Prescription Regulation Summary Chart. To access the webpage, please visit https://cphm.ca/new-controlled-substances-regulations/.
Students Administration of Drugs and Vaccines by Injection
Effective September 29, 2026, pharmacy students enrolled in at least the second year of a pharmacy education program, who have completed the required training and are under the direct supervision of an injection certified licensed pharmacist, are now eligible to receive authorization to administer drugs and vaccines by injection outside the formal educational practical rotation / training.
It is the responsibility of every pharmacist, intern, and pharmacy student to ensure that they practice within their scope, and that all requirements for engaging in that practice are fully satisfied. This includes submission of a completed application and receipt of approval of authorization from the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba before engaging in any activities of expanded scope.
For more information on student administration of drugs and vaccines by injection, please see here https://cphm.ca/pharmacy-student-administration-of-drugs-and-vaccines-by-injection/.
Call for Applications Open: Council Vacancy
Full Registered Pharmacists received a targeted email on October 2; the Appointments Committee, College of Pharmacists of Manitoba (CPhM), is seeking one pharmacist to fill a position on Council that will become vacant in December. The successful candidate will serve out the remainder of the exsisting three-year term, expiring May 2029. The current Council member is relocating to another province.
Applications are currently being accepted. All eligible pharmacists are encouraged to apply and contribute to the governance and strategic direction of CPhM. The Call for Applications closes October 23, 2026.
One candidate will be selected to fill the vacancy. CPhM registrants who are pharmacists are eligible to apply to fill this position if you are:
- A Full Registered Pharmacist and meet the eligibility criteria to serve on Council, as outlined in section 6.10 of the bylaws.
- Eager to participate in CPhM governance and have competencies, skills, and attributes that contribute to the Council competency matrix .
CPhM Council oversees the organization’s strategic direction and ensures that CPhM fulfills its mandate of upholding the public interest through effective regulation of pharmacy professionals.
Interested pharmacists must complete the online application form and submit a resume to info@cphm.ca by 4:00 p.m. on October 23, 2026. Additional information about the Council selection process can be found on the following webpage https://cphm.ca/council-appointments/ .
Questions and resumes can be sent to info@cphm.ca by 4:00 p.m. on October 23, 2026.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine Updates
On October 1, 2026, Manitoba Health expanded the eligibility for publicly funded Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccination to include all individuals 80 years of age and older to receive one lifetime dose of RSV. The updated eligibility criteria can be found on the Manitoba Health Website.
Pharmacists are only permitted to administer a vaccine as part of the publicly funded immunization program if the patient meets the program eligibility criteria AND the vaccine is listed under Schedule 2 of the Pharmaceutical Regulation. As the RSV vaccine is not currently listed on Schedule 2, pharmacists are not authorized to administer the RSV vaccine under the publicly funded provincial immunization program.
Manitoba Health has previously advised CPhM that it is not appropriate for pharmacists to charge a patient for a vaccine if the patient is eligible to receive any vaccine free of charge, under the provincial immunization program.
Patients who are eligible to receive the RSV vaccine under the provincial immunization program should be referred to a provider that can administer the vaccine free of charge, such as their primary care provider, local public health office, or ACCESS Centre. Please see the Practice Direction: Referring a Patient for more information on a pharmacist’s responsibilities when referring a patient to another health care provider.
For patients who are not eligible to receive RSV vaccine under the provincial immunization program, a pharmacist may administer the vaccine only if there is a valid prescription from an authorized prescriber and the prescription is deemed safe and appropriate for the patient.
More information on what drugs and vaccines a pharmacist can administer by injection can be found in https://cphm.ca/wp-content/uploads/Resource-Library/Expanded-Scope/Administration-of-Injections-Reference-July-2025.pdf.
Continuing Competency Matters
Registrant Feedback: Thank you to those pharmacists who have provided their feedback via the Continuing Competency Program (CCP) Engagement Survey. It is understood that this is a busy time of year and your time in providing your perspectives on the proposed changes to the CPhM CCP and the manner of communicating CCP information to pharmacy professionals is greatly appreciated.
It is also recognized that some pharmacists may not have strong positive or negative viewpoints and may believe their more neutral perspectives are not useful. In reality, all feedback, including neutral feedback, helps to gain a more balanced understanding of registrants’ perspectives.
As all pharmacist perspectives are valuable in informing CPhM on the proposed changes to the CCP, please take time to complete the survey, providing your response prior to October 16, 2026. The survey link can be found here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/DyqDWax0NU.
Thank you in advance for providing your valued feedback.
Knowledge Application Assessment Pilot Project: Thank you also to those pharmacists who have confirmed their interest in participating in the spring 2027 pilot project – and to those who have provided their questions about the pilot. A Q&A is being developed to address these questions and will be available on the Registrant Portal shortly.
Upon review of the volunteers, there are sufficient confirmed pharmacists practicing in hospital or ‘other’ areas, however, additional pharmacists practicing in a community pharmacy setting are still required. Community pharmacists interested in participating in the knowledge application assessment pilot project in spring 2027 are encouraged to complete the form: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/3LMpyVAT8d.
Renewal Reminder – Learning Plan
Pharmacy professionals renewing their license to active practice for the upcoming practice year are reminded to enter their learning activities for the current CEU reporting cycle (November 1, 2025 to October 31, 2026) within the renewal process rather than using the My Learning Plan tab prior to initiating renewal.
Be advised the system will not allow you to enter learning activities outside of the current CEU reporting period. Once the renewal process is completed (approved and paid), the reporting period is closed and learning activities cannot be added.
Professional development requirements for each pharmacy profession are:
- Pharmacists: Total CEUs = 25 (minimum of 15 accredited activities)
- Pharmacy Technicians: Total CEUs = 15 (minimum of 5 accredited activities)
Please take note that all ACCREDITED ACTIVITIES entered in your Learning Plan will now require you to upload your Statement of Participation. This feature has been added in preparation for the Annual Learning Portfolio Review that will take place in Q 1 of 2027.
Pharmacy professionals should review the Pharmacy Professional Renewal Guide, provided in the renewal notice, for more information. The document can also be found via the Registrant Portal (My Groups > Active Registrants > Renewal Guides).
If you have any questions, please contact registration@cphm.ca.
Quality Improvement Initiative Survey Reminder
Earlier this week, the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba (CPhM) sent a reminder email to all practicing pharmacists and pharmacy technicians regarding a quality improvement initiative led by CPhM, with support from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada (ISMP Canada).
Participation in this quality improvement initiative is voluntary and neither the CPhM nor ISMP Canada will be informed of who participated in the survey.
This data will serve as the foundation for resources to support a shift from blame-and-shame culture to just-and-safe culture around medication incidents and near misses.
Your assistance with this important CPhM initiative is greatly appreciated.
Responses are due Tuesday, October 13, 2026. For more information about this initiative, please refer to the CPhM email you received on October 5. If you require assistance, please contact info@cphm.ca.
CPhM Office Closure Notice
Please be advised that the CPhM office will be closed on Monday, October 12, 2026.
Regular office hours resume on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Professional Development Opportunities & Upcoming Events
Effective Communication in Pharmacy Practice, CPhM Mandatory Professional Development (November 2025 – October 2027)
Optimizing Prescription Writing: Essentials and Updates in 30 Minutes
- Click here to access the prerecorded webinar
- 1.0 CEU