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The current edition of PAD Refills is titled Split, open, sprinkle: navigating ADHD medication formulations.
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The 2025 edition of the B.C. Prescription Drug Atlas (PDF, 3.2MB) is now available online.
This document provides an overview of prescribing patterns in B.C. for opioids and benzodiazepine receptor agonists (BZRAs; benzodiazepines and the z-drugs: zopiclone, zolpidem, eszopiclone, and zaleplon) during the period 2016-2024. It is an update of the 2024 edition.
The 2025 Atlas also includes sections focused on the regulatory colleges whose registrants have legal authority to prescribe opioids and/or BZRAs.
Read previous editions of the Prescription Drug Atlas on the PharmaCare publications web page.
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PharmaCare pays pharmacies enrolled as PharmaCare providers set fees for providing pharmacy services associated with prescription adaptation, medication reviews, and vaccine administration for residents of B.C.
Below are the numbers of prescription adaptation and renewal services, and immunization administrations claimed by B.C. pharmacies in the fiscal year 2024/25.
For more pharmacy service statistics, refer to our pharmacist scope of practice data web pages:
Resources
In the July 2025 PharmaCare Newsletter (PDF, 605KB), we asked PharmaCare providers to provide a permanent email address that is checked daily. Since then, your PharmaCare Provider Change forms have been flooding in.
Thank you so much for making our work more efficient – and effective! Having the right email on file means you get important information without delay.
If you haven’t yet registered a permanent, regularly monitored email address, please submit the PharmaCare Provider Change form (PDF, 1.3MB) by August 31, 2025. Complete the cover page, update the email section in Part A, and check if Parts C or D apply.
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Therapeutics Initiative recently published two Therapeutics Letters about antidepressant withdrawal.
The first letter, Antidepressant withdrawal syndrome – Update, reviews the risks, symptoms and prevalence of antidepressant withdrawal, emphasizing the importance of informed consent and careful prescribing.
The second letter, How to stop antidepressants, looks at the problems people may have when they stop taking antidepressants. It talks about how to stop safely and avoid withdrawal problems.
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QuitNow BC is offering beyond the Patch: Supporting Youth Through Evidence-Based Nicotine Cessation, an online training webinar for healthcare professionals, educators and other people working with youth.
Nicotine use among young people is a public health concern, particularly with the rising prevalence of vaping. The webinar will explore the clinical rationale, ethical considerations and practical strategies for supporting young people in their efforts to quit.
Participants will gain evidence-based guidance on the safe and effective use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for youth, along with approaches for motivational engagement and meaningful family involvement to improve treatment outcomes.
The webinar will be held on August 11, 2025, from 11 am – 12 pm PST, and will be presented by Dr. Kevin M. Simon, MD, MPH, Boston’s first Chief Behavioural Health Officer.
Refer to Dr. Simon’s website for information about his professional background and experience. Visit the QuitNow BC website for registration details. There is no cost to attend.
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BC PharmaCare is providing the following guidance for B.C. pharmacists to help ensure patients maintain access to their medications in the event of a Canada Post strike.
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Since the last newsletter, PharmaCare has paid pharmacies for COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) kit distribution as follows:
Payment month | Payment date | ||
May 2025 | August 5, 2025 |
As announced in the May 2025 and June 2025 PharmaCare Newsletters, PharmaCare has ended the RAT kit distribution fee program. The last day to submit claims for the PharmaCare RAT kit distribution fee was June 30, 2025.
Pharmacies are encouraged to order RAT kits from distributors, available free of charge until supplies run out. Pharmacy distributors have stockpiled kits to be available to pharmacies and stores until the supply is exhausted or expired (i.e., late 2026).
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With the support of Canadian Society of Healthcare-Systems Pharmacy (CHSP) Foundation, Dr. Karen Dahri has created education resources to help patients learn about their medications and support their transition home from the hospital.
The resources describe the 5 Ws of patient discharge:
The resources are available in multiple languages (English, French, Punjabi, Mandarin, Simplified and Traditional Chinese) and formats (video, infographic, pamphlet and form). You can access them by visiting 5 Ws of Patient Discharge.
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Effective July 16, 2025, PharmaCare has added US-labelled disopyramide capsules as a temporary regular benefit. Health Canada has permitted the exceptional, temporary sale of US-labelled disopyramide capsules imported by Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories during the shortage of Canadian-marketed disopyramide capsules.
The US products have the same active ingredient, strengths, and dosage form. US products differ from the Canadian-market versions in their labelling (English-only), physical appearance (opaque orange capsules imprinted with m on one side and 095 on the other), and non-medicinal ingredients. Refer to Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories disopyramide capsules risk communication (PDF, 495KB) for more details.
To dispense US-labelled disopyramide 100mg capsules use PIN 09858365.
There is an active shortage of all ipratropium nebules. The hydrofluoroalkane products Ipratropium HFA (Atrovent DIN: 02247686 and Jamp-Ipratropium HFA DIN: 02542587) are available. The shortage is expected to resolve by September 2025.
Consult the Ipratropium-Bromide-Shortage-EN (PDF, 307KB) clinical resource document, released by MedSask and the Canadian Pharmacists Association to learn more.
Effective July 10, 2025, olanzapine for injection (DIN 02416522) is in shortage. The shortage is expected to resolve in November of 2025.
As a mitigation measure, use SteriMax’s US-authorized olanzapine for injection. Use PIN 66128561 for dispensing. Olanzapine for injection is not a PharmaCare benefit.
For more information on the US-authorized product, consult the SteriMax advisory (PDF, 389 KB).
Effective July 10, 2025, multiple DINs of oxycodone/acetaminophen 5/35 mg, Teva-Emtec-30 (DIN 00608882) and Teva-lenoltec No. 2 (DIN 00653241), No. 3 (DIN 00653276) and No. 4 (DIN 00621463) are in shortage. Until the expected resolution in September 2025, PharmaCare encourages prescribers to consider other opioid therapies.
The Canadian Pharmacists Association has an opioid conversion table in their resource Shortages of Acetaminophen with Oxycodone or Codeine (PDF, 114KB) to support recommendations on equivalent doses.
For more information, refer to Health Canada’s notice Acetaminophen with codeine or oxycodone in short supply.
Resources
PharmaCare has added the following limited coverage items to the PharmaCare drug list. Special Authority approval is required for coverage.
Drug name | tofacitinib (generics) | ||
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Date effective | July 16, 2025 | ||
Indication | For the treatment of active ankylosing spondylitis and active psoriatic arthritis. | ||
DINs | Refer to the Low Cost Alternative (LCA) and Reference Drug Program (RDP) Data Files for eligible DINs. | Strength & form | 5 mg tablet |
Special notes | PharmaCare is also transitioning tofacitinib coverage from the brand name product Xeljanz® to generic tofacitinib products. Refer to Tofacitinib coverage transition below for more details. |
Drug name | bimekizumab (Bimzelx®) | ||
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Date effective | July 16, 2025 | ||
Indication | 160 mg/mL: ankylosing spondylitispsoriatic arthritis and active. 320 mg/2 mL: plaque psoriasis. |
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DINs | 02525267 02525275 02553619 02553627 |
Strength & form | 160 mg/mL pre-filled syringe 160 mg/mL autoinjector 320 mg/2 mL pre-filled syringe 320 mg/2 mL autoinjector |
Drug name | methylphenidate controlled release (CR) (Foquest®) | ||
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Date effective | July 23, 2025 | ||
Indication | For the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in patients 6 years of age or older. | ||
DINs | 02470292 02470306 02470314 02470322 02470330 02470349 02470357 |
Strength & form | 25 mg CR capsule 35 mg CR capsule 45 mg CR capsule 55 mg CR capsule 70 mg CR capsule 85 mg CR capsule 100 mg CR capsule |
PharmaCare has decided not to cover the following drug for the noted indication.
Drug name | upadacitinib (Rinvoq®) | ||
---|---|---|---|
Date effective | July 16, 2025 | ||
Indication | For the treatment of active ankylosing spondylitis. | ||
DIN | 02495155 | Strength & form | 15 mg tablet |
PharmaCare is transitioning tofacitinib coverage from the brand name product Xeljanz® to generic tofacitinib products. According to Health Canada, generic drugs are pharmaceutically equivalent to brand name drugs; they contain the identical medicinal ingredients, in the same amounts and in a similar dosage form.
To maintain coverage, patients currently covered for the brand name product Xeljanz for rheumatoid arthritis or ulcerative colitis must transition to a generic tofacitinib product. PharmaCare is providing six-month transitional coverage ending January 15, 2026, to allow time for patients to switch. For patients with existing Xeljanz Special Authority (SA) approval, the generic tofacitinib products will automatically be covered; prescribers do not need to submit a new SA request until the next scheduled renewal date.
SA requests for patients who are unable to transition to any formulation of generic tofacitinib will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Prescribers can submit HLTH 5861 – Tofacitinib patient list request (PDF, 968KB) form to request a list of their patients who are receiving PharmaCare coverage for Xeljanz so they can contact them to start the switch. PharmaCare will not be offering patient support fees for the transition.
Some patients with rheumatoid arthritis may take Xeljanz 11 mg XR formulation. To maintain PharmaCare coverage, these patients must, in consultation with their prescriber, switch to the equivalent dose of a generic tofacitinib product (5 mg twice daily). Prescribers do not need to submit a new SA request until the next scheduled renewal date (if applicable).
For patients transitioning to a generic tofacitinib product, a different patient support program is available. Note that PharmaCare coverage is not tied to participation in a patient support program.
Generic manufacturer | Patient support program | |
Taro (taro-tofacitinib) | Sun360 Tel: 1-800-268-1975 Fax: 1-866-712-0001 Email: info@sun360psp.ca Website: https://www.sun360psp.ca/for-patients/taro-tofacitinib |
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PharmaScience (PMS-tofacitinib) | Tel: 1-888-255-9777 Fax: 1-833-350-3886 Email: tofacitinib@allypsp.ca Website:
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JAMP (JAMP-tofacitinib) | JAMP Care Tel: 1-855-517-0710 (Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm EST) Fax: 1-855-437-1490 Email: immunology@jampcarepsp.ca Website: https://jampcare-support.ca/ |
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Auro (Auro-tofacitinib) | Auro generics are available; please follow up with them for PSP information. Tel: 1-905-856-8063 Ext: 242 Fax: 1-905 856-8094 Email: cs@auropharma.ca Website: https://auropharma.ca |
For questions or concerns, please contact the Formulary Management team by email at FM.GenericMailbox@gov.bc.ca.
The knowledge and experience of patients, caregivers and patient groups is integral to B.C.'s drug review process. If you know someone who is taking one of the drugs below or who has a condition any of the drugs treat, please encourage them to visit www.gov.bc.ca/BCyourvoice.
Your Voice is now accepting input on the following drugs:
Drug | Indication | Input window | |
Bulevirtide (Hepcludex®) | The treatment of chronic hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection in adults with compensated liver disease | July 30 to August 26 at 11:59 pm | |
pegunigalsidase alfa (TBC) | Long-term enzyme replacement therapy in adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of Fabry disease (deficiency of alpha-galactosidase) | July 30 to August 26 at 11:59 pm | |
Risankizumab (Skyrizi®) | The treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) who have had an inadequate response, loss of response, or were intolerant to conventional therapy or advanced therapy | July 30 to August 26 at 11:59 pm | |
Risperidone (Okedi®) | The treatment of schizophrenia in adults | July 30 to August 26 at 11:59 pm | |
Lemborexant (Dayvigo®) | The treatment of insomnia in adults diagnosed according to the most recent version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) referring to chronic insomnia disorder (CID) | July 30 to August 26 at 11:59 pm |
The Minister of Health approved Ministerial Order 226 to keep B.C. supplies of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) and dulaglutide (Trulicity®) in the province. The Ministerial order adds tirzepatide and dulaglutide to the Drug Schedules (Limits on Sale) Regulation.
Tirzepatide and dulaglutide sold by a B.C. pharmacy must be:
In April 2023, the provincial government added a “limits on sale” regulation to the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act to prevent sales of semaglutide (Ozempic®, Wegovy®, Rybelsus®) to non-Canadian residents, to limit the impact of a supply shortage.
Resources
[End of July 17 update]
The PharmaCareNewsletter is published on the first Wednesday of each month, with occasional mid-month special releases. The PharmaCare Newsletter communicates drug listings, PharmaCare policy, PharmaNet procedures, and other pertinent information for PharmaCare providers and health care partners.
Information in previous newsletters is accurate as of the date it was published. Newsletters are not retroactively updated when policy, procedures or other information changes. Refer to the most recent mention of a topic for up-to-date information.
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The PharmaCare Newsletter team works from the territory of the Lekwungen People, including the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. Our gratitude extends to them, and all the Indigenous Peoples on whose territories and lands we build relationships.
BC PharmaCare counts on pharmacy and device providers to practise cultural safety and humility.
To learn more, read Coming Together for Wellness, a series of articles by First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) and PharmaCare, and consider taking the online San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety course.
Active advisories
teva-emtec-30; ipratropium nebules; disopyramide capsules; olanzapine for injection; praziquantel (Biltricide); fluorouracil 5% cream (Efudex®); peginterferon alfa-2a (Pegasys®) injection; calcitrol injection.
Visit Drug shortages for full list and details.