To protect the future of the business of pharmacy in providing excellent care in communities across the country, we have developed Guiding Principles regarding patient access to medications and care. We believe that any policies or practices governing access to medications and delivery of care should:
- Facilitate safe and effective patient-centric services that protect and improve patient access to medications and care without limited patient choice and autonomy.
- Allow providers, in collaboration with their patients, to determine the most appropriate channel in which to deliver accessible care, driven by patient preference or medical necessity (e.g., physical assessment).
- Empower pharmacy operators with the agency to determine the most effective means of safely implementing the delivery of care, including promoting innovation and the use of technology to meet the needs of their patients and their communities.
- Protect Canadians against medication related harms by providing safe access to medications through a well-established and reliable pharmaceutical supply chain.
- Enable efficient and effective collaboration and communications with healthcare providers within the circle of care, leveraging available technologies while preserving the protection of patient privacy.