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Ontario Expands List of Treatments and Medications Pharmacists Can Prescribe

Local pharmacies now a one-stop-shop for 19 common ailments

NORTH BAY – Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing announced that the Ontario government is making it more convenient for people to connect to care closer to home by allowing pharmacists to treat and prescribe medications for an additional six common medical ailments. This is in addition to the 13 common ailments that pharmacists have already been prescribing for since January 1, 2023.

“By expanding the list of common ailments pharmacists can treat, people in Nipissing will receive quicker access close to home, while helping to further reduce wait times at our community clinics and hospitals,” said MPP Vic Fedeli.

Since October 1, 2023, people will be able to visit a local pharmacy to receive prescriptions for:

• acne;
• canker sores;
• diaper rash;
• yeast infections;
• parasitic worms (pinworms and threadworms); and
• nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.

This is in addition to the 13 common ailments pharmacists have been able to treat since January 1, 2023:

• hay fever (allergic rhinitis);
• oral thrush (candidal stomatitis);
• pink eye (conjunctivitis; bacterial, allergic and viral);
• dermatitis (atopic, eczema, allergic and contact);
• menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea);
• acid reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD));
• hemorrhoids;
• cold sores (herpes labialis);
• impetigo;
• insect bites and hives;
• tick bites (post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent Lyme disease);
• sprains and strains (musculoskeletal); and
• urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Since the start of this year, 89 per cent of Ontario’s pharmacies have been treating common ailments, providing over 400,000 assessments. Stopping by a local pharmacy saves people a trip to the doctor’s office and gives family doctors more time to help people who need more specialized care.

As with visiting a family physician or walk-in clinic, Ontarians can receive a prescription from a pharmacist for common ailments with just their Ontario health card. The cost of the medication being prescribed will continue to be paid for by people directly or through their drug benefits plan.

Recent changes by the province also allow pharmacists to administer certain injection and inhalation treatments so that they can better care for people who need help taking certain medications, such as insulin, vitamin B12, or osteoporosis treatment. Ontarians can now access this service at their local pharmacy for a professional fee, similar to fees to receive travel vaccines.

This work is part of Ontario’s Your Health Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, which focuses on providing people with a better health care experience by connecting them to more convenient options closer to home, while shortening wait times for key services across the province and growing the health care workforce for years to come.

Quick Facts

• Overall surgical waitlists continue to decline and the average length of stay for patients admitted to an emergency department has decreased over the last year.
• Anyone with symptoms should contact their local pharmacist to confirm whether they provide prescribing services for certain common ailments before visiting the pharmacy.
• This change builds on pharmacists’ current knowledge, skills and judgement to recommend over-the-counter medications and allows physicians to focus on the more complex health care needs of their patients.
• Ontarians can now also visit local pharmacies for Paxlovid prescriptions. Visit ontario.ca/antivirals for more information on eligibility and to find local pharmacies that are dispensing Paxlovid.
• These changes are being made in partnership with the Ontario College of Pharmacists.

Additional Resources

• More information about the types of health care services you can get through your local pharmacy can be found here