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Authorization to administer drugs by injection

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A clinical pharmacist may only administer a drug by injection if they have been granted this authorization.

Follow these steps to obtain authorization to administer drugs by injection:

  1. Meet the prerequisites for the authorization.
    1. You must be registered on the ACP clinical pharmacist register.
    2. You must complete training that demonstrates at least one of the following:
      • Within the last 12 months, you have successfully completed a Canadian Council on Continuing Education in Pharmacy (CCCEP) competency-mapped accredited immunization and injection program. Refresher courses are not accepted. Be prepared to provide the completion certificate in PDF format as part of step 2.
      • Within the last six months, you have graduated from a Canadian Council for Accredited Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP) accredited Canadian pharmacy program that included an injection training program as part of its curriculum. Be prepared to provide your university degree and your completion certificate for the injection training program in PDF format as part of step 2.
      • You are currently registered as a practising pharmacist in a Canadian jurisdiction where you are also currently holding authorization to administer drugs by injection. Be prepared to provide your letter of standing from the Canadian jurisdiction in PDF format as part of step 2.
    3. You must have current and valid CPR certification (level C or HCP).
      • Your certificate must be level C or HCP. Level B will not be accepted.
      • You must attend an in-person or blended course. Courses delivered solely online are not acceptable.
      • The course must be offered, and taken, in Canada. Examples of accepted courses include St. John’s, Red Cross, Heart and Stroke Foundation (Healthcare and Basic Life Support), and Advanced Cardiac Life Support.
    4. You must have current and valid First Aid certification. 
      • You must attend an in-person or blended course. Courses delivered solely online are not acceptable.
      • The course must be offered, and taken, in Canada.
      • Standard or Emergency First Aid is acceptable.
  2. Apply for authorization to administer drugs by injection.
    1. Ensure the pre-requisite documentation identified in step 1 are in PDF format.
      • Pre-requisite documentation from step 1 must include
        • proof of current training (e.g., training certificate or letter of standing),
        • proof of current and valid CPR certification, and
        • proof of current and valid First Aid certification.
    2. Access the apply for authorization to administer drugs by injection form (in myACP). You will be required to upload the PDFs from step 2(a) as part of the application process.
  1. Wait for your notification from ACP.
    • ACP will notify you via email once a decision has been made or if we have any questions regarding your application.
    • You may not engage in the restricted activity of administering drugs by injection until your application has been approved by ACP.
  1. Access your practice permit.
    • If the authorization is approved, your practice permit will display the authorization to administer drugs by injection. Your practice permit can be accessed from your myACP profile. 

If I have not administered a drug by injection within the last three years, how do I reinstate my authorization to administer drugs by injection if cancelled?

Pharmacists who have not administered an injection within the last three years must re-qualify for the authorization to administer drugs by injection by completing a CCCEP competency-mapped accredited immunization and injection program (refresher courses are not accepted) and completing the application steps above.

If my authorization was cancelled but I have administered a drug by injection within the last three years, how do I reinstate my authorization to administer drugs by injection?

You do not need to redo a CCCEP competency-mapped accredited immunization and injection program. However, you must complete the following application steps:

  1. Convert the following documentation into PDFs:
    • proof of current and valid CPR certification, and
    • proof of current and valid First Aid certification.
  2. Access the apply for authorization to administer drugs by injection form (in myACP). You will be required to upload the application and the PDFs from the previous step as part of the application process.

ACP will notify you via email once a decision has been made or if we have any questions regarding your application.

You may not engage in the restricted activity of administering drugs by injection until your application has been approved by ACP.

If the authorization is approved, your practice permit will display the authorization to administer drugs by injection. Your practice permit can be accessed from your myACP profile.

How do I renew my authorization to administer drugs by injection?

The authorization to administer drugs by injection (DBI) expires annually on June 30, at the end of a registration term. To continue your DBI authorization in the new registration term, you must renew your authorization by completing the applicable DBI professional declaration when you apply to renew your annual practice permit. To renew your authorization, you must declare that you meet the following requirements:

  • have and will maintain valid CPR (minimum level C) and First Aid certifications;
  • have administered an injection within the past three years;
  • have, within the past 12 months, reviewed the Standards of Practice for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians; and
  • have in place the required policies and procedures for handling emergencies.

Pharmacists who are unable to complete the professional declaration will have their DBI authorization cancelled and will no longer be authorized to administer drugs by injection.

Overview

As of February 1, 2025, pharmacists with authorization to administer drugs by injection (DBI) may administer drugs by injection to children between two and four years of age after completing the following steps:

  1. Successfully complete a Canadian Council on Continuing Education in Pharmacy (CCCEP) accredited program or a program at a Canadian university that provides training specifically for administering injections to children under five years of age.
  2. Submit evidence of this training to ACP by completing the “Injections for children under five years old” form in myACP. Your evidence of training may be subject to audit. Please note that this process will be available as of February 1, 2025.
  3. Receive confirmation from ACP that you may proceed with administering injections to children under five years of age.

Do I have to complete a specific program that focuses on administering injections to children under five years of age?

Yes, if you intend to administer injections to this age group, you must complete a training program that focuses on this population. Available programs (e.g., Injections & Immunizations to Children; Mastering Injections in Pediatrics) are listed on the CCCEP website.

At this time, the CCCEP competency-mapped accredited immunization and injection training program that you completed to apply for DBI authorization only included limited content for administering injections to children between two and four years of age; therefore, you are required to complete a specific program that focuses on administering injections to children under five years of age.

Specific training that focuses on this age group will start with the graduating class of 2026 for the University of Alberta (U of A) PharmD program. Any former U of A graduates are required to complete a specific program that focuses on administering injections to children under five years of age.

What if the injection training I completed included a substantial focus on administering injections to children under five years of age?

If you believe you completed a CCCEP-accredited training program or program at a Canadian university that provided a substantial focus on administering injections to children under five years of age, please identify the name of the program on the “Injections for children under five years old” form in myACP. Your program will be reviewed for eligibility.

When can I start to administer injections to children between two and four years of age?

As of February 1, 2025, to administer injections to children between two and four years of age, you must

  • have authorization to administer drugs by injection,
  • successfully complete a CCCEP accredited program or a program at a Canadian university that provides training specifically for administering injections to children under five years of age, and
  • submit evidence of training to ACP.

Once you’ve received confirmation from ACP, you may proceed with administering injections to children under five years of age in accordance with the Standards of Practice for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians.