Pharmacists prescribing for minor ailments and contraception - data

Last updated on July 31, 2025

The Minor Ailments and Contraception Service (MACS) was launched on June 1, 2023. The Ministry extends its appreciation to pharmacists for the ongoing success of MACS and pharmacists prescribing. For more information, refer to Pharmacist scope of practice.

The following monitoring data demonstrates the uptake of MACS in the first year between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2025. For first-year data, view Pharmacists Prescribing for Minor Ailments and Contraception (PPMAC) 1 year overview (PDF, 188KB).

2-year MACS data

June 1, 2023 - May 31, 2025

  • Over 963,000 MACS conducted
  • More than 590,000 clients received MACS
  • More than 1,500 pharmacies provided MACS (91% of community pharmacies*)
  • Over 4,500 pharmacists provided MACS, which is approximately 66% of licensed B.C. pharmacists, or 73% of active community pharmacists*

*Submitted at least 1 PharmaCare claim since launch

Greatest number of MACS assessments
Assessment % of services
Contraception 20
Urinary tract infection (uncomplicated) 20
Conjunctivitis 10
Allergic rhinitis 7
Herpes labialis (cold sore) 6
Dermatitis 6

The Ministry of Health has developed a comprehensive evaluation plan and is working with partners to evaluate the impact of pharmacists assessing and prescribing through MACS.

Refer to PPMAC evaluation framework (PDF, 97KB) for an overview of the evaluation plan. 

The goals of the MACS evaluation are to:

  • Assess and quantify participation by clients, pharmacists and pharmacies
  • Determine if pharmacists assessing and prescribing for minor ailments and contraception: 
    • improves access to treatment
    • improves quality of care for clients
    • improves the efficiency of health care delivery
    • promotes fairness and equity in accessing health care
  • Identify factors that facilitate or hinder client access to this care
  • Describe the experiences of clients and health care providers who access the program
  • Identify and use quality measures to make improvements to the program

Engagement and Survey Findings

As part of the evaluation, pharmacists and members of the public were invited to participate in surveys. BC Stats was commissioned to conduct a client survey, and the results are now available.

Refer to the 2024 Minor Ailments and Contraceptive Services (MACS) Survey (PDF) for insights into client experiences and outcomes.

Check this page for ongoing updates as new data becomes available.

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