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The following information was sent to regulated members via email on August 18, 2026. This Link article is a reminder of important updates to TPP pad exemptions.
The Tracked Prescription Program (TPP) Alberta monitors medications prone to misuse or overprescribing across the province. These monitored medications are classified as either Type 1 or Type 2 medications.
To prescribe medications on the Type 1 list, prescribers must be registered with TPP Alberta and use a physical TPP Alberta secure prescription pad.
Under certain circumstances, TPP Alberta will provide exemptions for facilities that do not need to use physical TPP pads to prescribe Type 1 medications. Effective Wednesday, September 2, 2026, TPP Alberta has granted TPP pad exemptions to the following facility and clinic types across the province:
- inpatient discharges from all acute care facilities using Connect Care, and
- Opioid Dependency Program (ODP) clinics using Connect Care.
ACP has worked with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA), TPP Alberta, Health Shared Services (HSS), and the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) to coordinate the rollout of the following exemptions.
Inpatient discharges from all acute care facilities
Pharmacy teams may receive secure e-fax prescriptions via Connect Care (instead of physical TPP pad prescriptions) for inpatient discharges from prescribers working on-site at acute care facilities.
- Exemption applies to TPP-monitored Type 1 medications.
- Facility must be using Connect Care to be eligible.
- Exemptions only apply to inpatient discharges using Connect Care.
- Exemptions do not include emergency departments or ambulatory clinics using Connect Care.
Recovery Alberta’s Opioid Dependency Program (ODP) clinics
Pharmacy teams may receive secure e-fax prescriptions via Connect Care (instead of physical TPP pad prescriptions) from prescribers working virtually or on-site at Recovery Alberta’s ODP clinics.
- Exemption applies to methadone and slow-release oral morphine only.
- Facility must be using Connect Care with secure e-faxing capability to be eligible.
- Exemptions only apply when prescribers are providing care to patients at Recovery Alberta’s ODP sites, either virtually or on-site, while using Connect Care.
- Exemptions do not apply to prescriptions for other TPP-monitored Type 1 medications or compounded medications.
Prescriptions that fall outside these exemption categories remain subject to existing TPP requirements. Current TPP exemptions and related resources can be found on the TPP Alberta Resources page.
What these exemptions mean for pharmacy teams
The Connect Care system will not allow secure e-faxes to be sent from locations that do not meet exemption requirements. The Connect Care system ensures that pharmacies should only receive e-fax prescriptions for Type 1 medications from eligible practice sites as described above.
What pharmacy teams need to do
These exemptions took effect on September 2, 2026. If your pharmacy receives a secure e-fax prescription, you can refer to the Online Community Prescription Validation Tool to verify the prescription. Note that this validation tool is intended to supplement, not replace, the existing verification methods that regulated members currently use when they have concerns about authenticity, such as directly calling or faxing the prescriber.
This online, real-time prescription validation tool allows pharmacy teams to validate any Connect Care outpatient prescription based on order ID, prescription date, and patient ULI. There is no password required to access the tool and you will immediately receive confirmation if the prescription is valid.
You can learn more about the Online Community Prescription Validation Tool on the Alberta Health Services website or find a direct link to the tool here. See the example image below for more information.
Why the change?
These exemptions allow eligible prescriptions to be transmitted directly from Connect Care to community pharmacies while maintaining safeguards for TPP-monitored medications. The use of secure e-faxing and the Prescription Validation Tool helps support prescription authenticity, reduce transcription-related discrepancies, reduce delays in care, and improve continuity of care when patients transition between healthcare settings.
Questions?
Questions about TPP exemptions can be directed to TPP Alberta at TPP.Info@cpsa.ab.ca. Questions about pharmacy practice expectations may be directed to ACP at acpinfo@abpharmacy.ca.
