Proposed Publicly Funded Adult Vaccines Categorized as Schedule II
December 1, 2025As the Ministry of Health explores the expansion of publicly funded vaccine availability, the College confirms that the following vaccines meet the criteria to be categorized as Schedule II in the NAPRA National Drug Schedules (NDS) in Ontario:
- Tetanus vaccines
- Diphtheria vaccines
- Pertussis vaccines
- Pneumococcal vaccines
- Non-live recombinant herpes zoster (Shingles) vaccines
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines (changed from Schedule I)
The RSV vaccine is now part of a routine immunization program in most provinces and territories. The College is working with the Ministry of Health to remove barriers to access vaccines, and RSV vaccines will be categorized as Schedule II in Ontario per the application of the NAPRA definition, regardless of whether they are offered through the provincially funded immunization program or not.
To date, COVID-19 and influenza vaccines have been publicly funded in community pharmacies in Ontario (i.e., administration of vaccine is at no cost to patients, and no prescription is required). Prescriptions are not required if the vaccine is classified as Schedule II. NAPRA’s definition of schedule II vaccines include meeting at least one of the below criteria:
- Vaccines which are part of a routine immunization program in most/all provinces and territories
- Vaccines requiring special enhanced public access due to disease outbreaks;
- Diptheria toxoid, Tetanus toxoid, Pertussis, Poliomyelitis, Haemophilus influenza type B, Measles, Mumps, Pneumococcus, Rubella, Hepatitis B Pediatric, Influenza, cholera vaccine (oral, inactivated) when used for prophylaxis against traveller’s diarrhea due to enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)
- Non-live recombinant herpes zoster vaccine (Shingles)