who can prescribe drugs in ontario? - Ontario College of Pharmacists

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verifying that a nurse practitioner has the requisite authority to prescribe controlled substances). ADDITIONAL RESOURCE
HEALTH PROFESSION ACT

WHO CAN PRESCRIBE DRUGS IN ONTARIO? The Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA) sets out the governing framework for Ontario’s 26 regulated health professionals, including defining 13 “controlled acts” which may pose a risk to the public if not performed by a qualified practitioner. Each health profession has a Health Profession Act that defines the specific health profession’s scope of practice, restricted titles, and the controlled acts they are authorized to perform. At present, eight of the 26 Health Profession Acts include authorization of the controlled act of “prescribing, dispensing, selling or compounding a drug”. Any terms, conditions or limitations on this authority are determined in the regulations, such as any educational requirements or specific classes of drugs that may be prescribed. Healthcare professionals are responsible for ensuring that they practice within their defined scope of practice. If a pharmacy professional is uncertain of the prescribing authority of a regulated health professional regarding a prescription, they can contact the prescriber or consult the relevant regulatory College. If the prescriber is licensed outside Ontario,

prescribing authority is determined by the laws regulating practice in that particular province or territory. Out of province prescribers may not be familiar with Ontariospecific legislation, such as the Narcotic Safety and Awareness Act, and collaboration may be required to ensure a prescription contains all the required elements to be valid. All health professional colleges in Ontario are required to maintain a public register of their members. Pharmacy professionals are encouraged to verify the status of the prescriber through the appropriate public register to ensure the prescriber is a member in good standing and has the authority to prescribe the specific drug or device (for example, verifying that a nurse practitioner has the requisite authority to prescribe controlled substances).

Regulated Health Professionals who can prescribe a drug (subject to any terms, conditions or limitations) • Chiropodists (Podiatrists) • Dentists • Midwives • Naturopaths • Nurses • Optometrists • Pharmacists • Physicians and Surgeons

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: • Physician Prescribing Status Fact Sheet • Out of Province Prescriptions Fact Sheet • Ontario Health Colleges • Ontario’s Physician Assistants (Pharmacy Connection Fall 2014)

PHARMACY CONNECTION ~ SUMMER 2017 ~ PAGE 37