Pharmacists CAN is advocating for legislative reforms to empower Canadian pharmacists to practice to the full extent of their training.
Across Canada, pharmacists are among the most accessible and trusted health-care providers. They assess symptoms, manage medications, administer vaccines and support patients living with chronic conditions. Every day, pharmacy teams help Canadians navigate their health with expertise and compassion.
But pharmacists can’t always use their full training.
Despite years of rigorous education and clinical training, there is still a disconnect between what pharmacists are educated to do and what regulations in some jurisdictions allow them to do. Pharmacists have the knowledge and skills to provide a broad range of essential health services—but some provincial regulations continue to limit how fully they can contribute to patient care.
The impact is real. Access to pharmacist-provided services varies across the country, meaning the services that a patient can receive at their local pharmacy often depend on where they live. At a time when Canada is facing significant primary care pressures, restricting highly trained professionals from practising to the extent of their education only adds strain to the system. Access to care shouldn’t depend on your postal code.
Pharmacists CAN is a national advocacy campaign focused on closing that gap. Grounded in the National Benchmark for Pharmacy Practice, which outlines the comprehensive services pharmacists in Canada are educated to provide, the campaign calls for changes to legislation and regulations so that pharmacists can deliver the care they are trained and trusted to provide.
Empowering pharmacists for a healthier Canada
The solution is straightforward: empower pharmacists. When pharmacists can practise to the full extent of their education—whether assessing and prescribing for common conditions, managing chronic diseases, administering vaccines or adapting prescriptions during drug shortages —patients benefit from more timely access, and the health system works more efficiently.
During Pharmacy Appreciation Month each March, we celebrate the pharmacy teams that Canadians rely on every day. Pharmacists CAN builds on that momentum by looking ahead — to a future where access to pharmacist care is consistent and equitable, no matter where you live.
Let’s stop holding pharmacists back. It’s time to let them use their full education in practice and help build a healthier future for all Canadians.
Visit pharmacistscan.ca to see what pharmacists are allowed to do in your province or territory and send a letter to elected representatives calling for the removal of unnecessary barriers.
