Pharmacists’ scope of practice will be expanded starting Dec. 9, the Ministry of Health announced Thursday. Quebecers will need to be patient, however, warns the Quebec Association of Independent Pharmacists (AQPP), as teams will need time to receive training and adapt their facilities.
“There are common conditions that pharmacists are very comfortable handling. There are others for which we’ll need training to truly master the basics and perform optimally in this area,” said Benoit Morin, president of the AQPP, in an interview.
Specifically, pharmacists will be able to refill a prescription an unlimited number of times—at the pharmacist’s discretion—whereas previously, they could renew a prescription for only six months, after which the patient had to see their doctor to obtain a new prescription to present to the pharmacist.
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Pharmacists will also have greater autonomy to treat common conditions, such as head lice, certain respiratory infections, vaginitis, shingles, and so on.
Another new development is that pharmacists will have more flexibility in managing chronic conditions. They already provide care, particularly by adjusting dosages for high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol. This will now be expanded to include other conditions, such as generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder.
“When an antidepressant is prescribed, we’ll be able to adjust it, and the same goes for heart failure if there’s no specialist available. So, the pharmacist will be able to adjust the dosage, but more than that, they’ll also be able to initiate a new treatment. If the treatment originally prescribed by the doctor isn’t sufficient, they can add another prescription,” explains Morin.
The public should not expect all services to be available everywhere from day one, according to the Ordre des pharmaciens du Québec (OPQ). In a press release, the organization explains that it is up to the pharmacist to decide whether or not to intervene based on their professional judgment, the patient’s assessment, and the ability to ensure appropriate follow-up.
“The goal is to improve access to care, but also to ensure that services are provided under the best possible conditions for both patients and pharmacy staff. Let’s not forget that we are facing a staffing shortage,” writes Jean-François Desgagné, president of the OPQ.
Benoit Morin agrees. “If the frontline pharmacist can provide these services, and the doctor can then take on the patients the pharmacist can’t help, I think that’s an ideal situation,” he says. “But the number of services will depend on the population’s needs and the network’s capacity. Obviously, our system is facing a labor shortage. We’re short on pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, but we’re trying to get organized, streamline our operations, and automate processes so we can provide all these services to the public. But it will require patience, a reorganization of workflows, and a shift in patients’ habits as well.”
The AQPP recommends that patients prioritize the pharmacy that already has their health record on file to facilitate access to services. “There are tasks that will require a bit more organization and that will also require, for example, making an appointment with your pharmacist because they won’t always be able to handle them quickly over the counter,” adds Morin.
“Your pharmacist will be able to do more for you, depending on your situation and the services offered at your pharmacy,” Health Minister Sonia Bélanger commented on X. “The goal isn’t to do everything at the pharmacy. It’s to make better use of the skills of all our healthcare professionals and to direct you to the right professional at the right time.”
The announcement follows Bill 67, passed in 2024, which aims to expand certain professional practices in the health care field, including those of pharmacists. The goal of the bill is to relieve pressure on primary care so that the burden does not fall entirely on doctors.
New regulations first had to be adopted before the changes outlined in the bill could take effect. This was announced on Thursday: the draft regulations amending the Regulations Implementing the Health Insurance Act and the General Drug Insurance Plan Regulations have been adopted.
In a press release from the health ministry published in December 2025, it was estimated that in the first year of the regulation’s implementation, 360,000 additional pharmaceutical services could be provided to Quebecers.
“Personally, I have a feeling it might actually be a little more than that because the population’s needs are growing,” says Morin. […] What’s important to remember is that there will be improved access and faster care and treatment for patients.”
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The Canadian Press’s health coverage is supported by a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for this journalistic content.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
