Transforming and Supporting Patient Care - Health Professions ...

82Chapter 3 - A New Drug Approvals Framework For OntarioThe provision of prescription drugs to a patient by a professionalauthorized by law to prescribe drugs or a professional acting pursuantto a prescription after the professional:(a) Records, selects, measures, reconstitutes, inspects, packagesand labels the drug; and(b) Uses professional judgment to confirm the appropriateness ofsupplying the drug in the particular situation.It is not intended to cover administration of a drug, as would be the casewhen a drug is used or administered in a clinical or office setting fordiagnostic or therapeutic purposes. Dispensing implies that the patienttakes the medication home to use at a later time, or has the drug availablefor use at a later time, such as in a long-term care home.Safeguards for DispensingHealth professions authorized to dispense drugs should develop, circulateand enforce standards of practice for dispensing drugs. The CPSO, forexample, recently published a draft policy that includes “DispensingStandards”. 46 This policy provides a starting point in developing a healthprofession’s standards.The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario draft policyon dispensing requires members to:“Dispense” drugs only to patients that the member has aprofessional relationship with;Use proper methods of procurement in order to be assured of theorigin and chain of custody of drugs being dispensed;Store the drugs securely;Have an audit system in place in order to identify possible drug loss;Store drugs appropriately to prevent spoilage (for example,temperature control, where necessary);Keep records which allow for the retrieval and/or inspection ofprescriptions;Not dispense drugs past their expiry date;Provide appropriate packaging, labelling and patient-relatedmaterial for the drugs they dispense; andDispose of drugs that are unfit to be dispensed (expired ordamaged) safely and securely and in accordance with anyenvironmental requirements.46Supra note.HPRAC Critical Links January 2009