Pharmacy Changes

• Required Notice to CPhM: Within 7 days from date of change
• The current pharmacy manager remains accountable for the supervision and operation of the pharmacy until CPhM approves a new pharmacy manager and issues a new pharmacy licence.
• The outgoing and incoming managers must complete a narcotic inventory count as outlined in the Narcotic and Controlled Drug Accountability Guidelines. This inventory count paperwork is to be maintained in the pharmacy records/files and easily retrievable for audit purposes. Do not submit the inventory to CPhM.

• Required Notice to CPhM: Must be within 7 days from date of change 
• Below are the types of changes: 

1. 1. Partnerships:
      • • Members of the Partnership 
        • The General or Limited Partnership 
        • Managing Partner

1. 1. Directors of the Corporation 
   2. Shareholders (50% or more of the Corporation’s voting shares) 
   3. Changes in Board of Directors of a Hospital Pharmacy 

• Manitoba Health will not issue the pharmacy a new Pharmacare number for this type of change. 

• Required Notice to CPhM: 30 days in advance from date of change 
• The “Pharmacy Owner/Signing Officer” will be your organization’s designated individual authorized to transact with CPhM regarding pharmacy operations. No other individuals may sign the pharmacy owner fields on our forms except for this person. 
• Manitoba Health will not issue the pharmacy a new Pharmacare number for this type of change. 

• Required Notice to CPhM: 30 days in advance from date of change 
• An owner is defined in The Pharmaceutical Act (the Act) as the one who holds a pharmacy licence of any category and whose name is entered on the register of licensed pharmacies. The Pharmacy Licence Holder for community pharmacies is the business registered with Manitoba Companies Office (sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation) while hospital pharmacies are under their Regional Health Authority.  
• Manitoba Health will  issue the pharmacy a new Pharmacare number for this type of change. 

• Required Notice to CPhM: 30 days in advance from date of change 
• As per Section 72 of The Pharmaceutical Act, only owners of a business with a pharmacy licence may use the protected titles or variations of these titles in their business name. Kindly take note that Section 1 of The Pharmaceutical Act, defines an “owner” as a person who holds a pharmacy licence of any category and whose name is entered on the register of licensed pharmacies. 

• Required Notice to CPhM: Must be within 7 days from date of change 
• An inspection is required and must be arranged with Field Operations in advance. 
• A physical inventory count of narcotic and controlled substances transferred from the old to new location must be submitted to Health Canada by email to hc.compliance-conformite.sc@canada.ca within 10 days of pharmacy closure using the Pharmacy Closure Form. You must keep these records in a manner that is auditable and readily available if requested by a 
  • CPhM Inspector for a period of up to five years; and 
  • Health Canada inspector for a period of up to two years. 
• Please contact fieldops@cphm.ca if you have questions or concerns. 

• Required Notice to CPhM: Must be within 7 days from date of change 
• An inspection is required and must be arranged with Field Operations in advance.  
• Please contact fieldops@cphm.ca if you have questions or concerns.   

• Required Notice to CPhM: 30 days in advance from date of change 
• Prior to planning a permanent or temporary pharmacy closure, please review the Practice Direction for Permanent and Temporary Pharmacy Closures. 

Temporary Closure: 

Please use the Temporary Pharmacy Closure Checklist and send to fieldops@cphm.ca. If you need additional guidance, please send your inquiry to the same email address. 

Permanent Closure: 

The notification must include information advising where the pharmacy’s patient records will be securely stored and maintained allowing for complete and uninterrupted patient access to care. 

The Permanent Pharmacy Closure Checklist includes a clear process to ensure compliance and provide a seamless transition of care for your patients. Please accomplish the form and send to fieldops@cphm.ca. If you need additional guidance about pharmacy closure requirements, please send your inquiry to the same email address. 

Permanent Closure: Narcotic and Controlled Substances Inventory 

If your pharmacy is permanently closing, you must take steps to ensure your narcotic and controlled drug inventory is secure from loss, theft, or diversion. Options for pharmacies that will permanently close include: 

• returning the narcotic and controlled drug inventory to the licensed dealer who sold or provided it; 
• transferring the narcotic and controlled drug inventory to a dealer who is licensed to destroy the substances pursuant to a written order; 
• destroying the narcotic and controlled drug inventory locally following the appropriate Health Canada and CPhM Guidelines; or 
• transferring the narcotic and controlled drug inventory to another pharmacist in good standing. Both pharmacists involved in the transfer must 
  • take inventory of the substances; 
  • sign the inventory record; and 
  • keep record of the inventory for two years in an auditable format that can be made available to a Health Canada inspector upon request. 

You must submit a physical inventory count of controlled substances at the time of closure to Health Canada by email to hc.compliance-conformite.sc@canada.ca within 10 days of pharmacy closure using the Pharmacy Closure Form. You must keep these records in a manner that is auditable and readily available if requested by a 

• CPhM Inspector for a period of up to five years; and 
• Health Canada inspector for a period of up to two years. 

Please visit the Pharmacy Technician Final Check page for more information. 

Additional or Replacement decals and/or posters are available upon request. Please email registration@cphm.ca and include which pharmacy it is for. 

Visit the Time-delayed Safes for Pharmacy Professionals page for more information and FAQs.  

As per section 72 of The Pharmaceutical Act, only owners of a business with a pharmacy licence may use the following titles or variations of these titles in their business name. 

Use of titles: any retail or wholesale business 

72(1)       No person except an owner shall use any of the following titles in connection with a retail or wholesale business: 

(a) “pharmacy” or “apothecary”; 

(b) “drug” or “drugs”; 

(c) “pharmacist”, “pharmaceutical chemist”, or “druggist”; 

or a variation or abbreviation of any of those titles, or an equivalent in another language. 

Use of titles: retail or wholesale business implying that it is licensed 

72(2)       No person except an owner shall use any of the following titles, in connection with a retail or wholesale business, in a manner that implies that the business is licensed under this Act: 

(a) “prescription”, “prescriptions”, or “Rx”; 

(b) “medicine” or “medicines”; 

or a variation or abbreviation of any of those titles, or an equivalent in another language. 

Kindly take note that section 1 of The Pharmaceutical Act, defines an “owner” as a person who holds a pharmacy licence of any category and whose name is entered on the register of licensed pharmacies. 

• If you were referred to CPhM to ask for name consent, please send your request to registration@cphm.ca along with a copy of your MCO name reservation document. 

• If you are trying to register a business name associated with opening a new pharmacy, kindly follow the instructions in the “New Pharmacy” page. 

For any questions or concerns not outlined on this page, please contact registration@cphm.ca. 

The latest change forms are available in your Registrant Portal. Please follow the instructions below: 

https://cphm.alinityapp.com/Client/Account/Login  

• Go to Groups, select “Pharmacy Managers” 

• Select the Pharmacy Change Forms folder and find the document you need 

NOTE: Incoming owner must coordinate with the existing pharmacy owner and manager to obtain the change forms from the portal. 

Please email registration@cphm.ca for guidance on ownership changes. You should expect to be asked more information such as details of the purchase of business, if there’s an existing pharmacy involved, etc. 

The Pharmaceutical Act and Regulations do not limit the ownership to licensed pharmacy professionals only. The ownership including selection of officers, directors or shareholders of an entity is solely an internal process.  However, these individuals or entities must meet the requirements outlined in Section 64(2)E of The Pharmaceutical Act.