pharmacy technician - Ontario College of Pharmacists

DPRA
the patient reached 18 years,
whichever is longer. While original
prescriptions are only required
to be kept for two years, scanned
copies are also required as part of
the patient record. Safeguards must
also be in place to ensure privacy
and adequate storage.
PRESCRIPTION REFILL
AUTHORIZATION BY
PHARMACISTS
It is important to note that this
authorization differs from the
proposed regulations to enhance
the scope of practice under the
Pharmacy Act. The intent in the
DPRA is to continue medication
therapy for patients under all of the
following conditions:
o Reasonable efforts to contact
the prescriber have been made
but the pharmacist has been
unsuccessful
o The Pharmacist believes that the
prescriber would have authorized
the continuing medication
therapy
o The patient has chronic or long
term condition
o The patient has a stable history
with drug
o The medication is not a narcotic,
controlled drug or targeted
substance
o The total amount of the refill does
not exceed the amount previously
dispensed or is a three-month
supply, whichever is less
o The pharmacist must provide
notification of the date, drug,
quantity to the prescriber or
primary health care provider
within seven days of refilling the
prescription
In terms of record-keeping and
documentation, a refill prescription
authorized by the pharmacist
must have a unique prescription
identification number. Further,
the prescription identification
number, the name of the authorizing
pharmacist and the original
prescriber must be recorded in
the patient record. In short, there
must be sufficient documentation
within the patient record to support
the decision-making process. The
name of the authorizing pharmacist
should also appear on the prescription
label as the prescriber.
REGISTERED PHARMACY
TECHNICIANS
These changes to the DPRA
Regulations allow for registered
pharmacy technicians to accept
and record a verbal prescription,
except for narcotic and controlled
substances. However, they may not
transfer and accept a transfer until
changes are made to the Food and
Drug Act, which is under federal
jurisdiction.
PROPRIETARY MISCONDUCT
The provisions under the new
DPRA Regulations mirror those
of professional conduct and are
intended to hold owners and
operators equally accountable as
members for pharmacy operations.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Conflict of interest is declared when
any arrangement or agreement
that is likely to adversely influence
member’s professional judgment
or ethical care of the patient is
in question. There must be full
disclosure prior to patient choice.
ADVERTISING REGULATIONS
The language has been updated
to be more applicable to current
practice. The language is parallel to
that under the Pharmacy Act which
refers to member responsibility.
REMOTE DISPENSING
The DPRA Regulations make
remote dispensing locations
(RDL) legal in Ontario, effective
immediately.
DEFINITIONS:
Remote Dispensing Location means
a premises where drugs are
dispensed or sold by retail to the
public and that is operated by, but
is not at the same location as, a
pharmacy whose certificate of
accreditation permits its operation.
Automated Pharmacy System means
a mechanical system that performs
operations or activities with respect
to the storage and packaging of
PHARMACY CONNECTION ~ SPRING 2011 ~ PAGE 13