Responding to Corporate Pressures: Progress Update

In response to concerns raised by pharmacy professionals, the College has taken a number of important steps to address corporate pressures that get in the way of pharmacy professionals’ ability to make decisions in the best interests of their patients.

These include:

• Reviewing how we accredit pharmacies and our processes for reviewing applications for accreditation and renewal. This may involve looking at the conduct and character of all directors and the contents of contracts and leasing arrangements that may restrict the autonomy of pharmacy professionals.
• Considering how we might publicly report on regulatory program activities, including complaints and operational assessment outcomes by pharmacy type and ownership.
• Gathering information to help identify the best legislative options for change. This will include evaluating what other jurisdictions have done to identify approaches most likely to have an impact.
• Examining laws that govern franchises, insurance companies, retail sales and employment standards. We will also be examining the Drug and Pharmacies Regulation Act, including the pharmacist ownership exemption for corporations operating before 1954, and the Pharmacy Act, including the professional misconduct regulations.
• Talking to partners in the health system about their ideas for potential solutions as well as researching approaches used in other jurisdictions to identify the most effective options….and much more

We remain thankful to registrants throughout the province who continue to share their perspectives, insights and concerns with us.

Regular updates will also be provided at Board meetings and through OCP’s regular communication channels.