Use of the terms specialist and specialty, and any terms that infer either, is restricted by the Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Regulation and the Pharmacy and Drug Regulation.
ACP council has not established requirements or criteria to use either term. Therefore, their use is not permitted with respect to practice or the licensing of pharmacies.
This means that pharmacists may not call themselves specialists, and pharmacies may not use specialty as part of their pharmacy name or in promotions.
Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Regulation
15(1)(6) A clinical pharmacist may use the title specialist if the clinical pharmacist
- meets the requirements established by Council for the use of the title specialist, and
- is authorized by the Registrar to use that title
Pharmacy and Drug Regulation
7(1) Neither a licensee nor proprietor shall hold out that a licensed pharmacy offers specialized pharmacy services unless the licensed pharmacy is designated under subsection (3).
7(2) A licensee may apply to the registrar to designate a licensed pharmacy as a pharmacy that offers specialized pharmacy services.
7(3) If the registrar is satisfied that a licensed pharmacy meets the criteria established and published by the council, the registrar may designate the licensed pharmacy as a pharmacy that offers specialized pharmacy services.
7(4) Only a licensee or a proprietor of a licensed pharmacy that has been designated under subsection (3) as a pharmacy that offers specialized pharmacy services may hold out that the licensed pharmacy is a pharmacy that offers specialized pharmacy services.
ACP supports national discussions that are currently occurring through the “Blueprint for Pharmacy” to determine the feasibility and structure of specialties in pharmacy in Canada. Once a national framework becomes clearer, then council will be asked to address requirements and criteria for the purpose of our regulations.
Originally published in the October 7, 2014 issue of The Link
