B.C. ‘moving as quickly as possible’ to implement expanded scope: Ministry of Health

Expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice is a top priority for British Columbia, according to a Ministry of Health official, speaking at the B.C. Pharmacy Association’s annual conference this past Friday.“We’ve been asked to move as quickly as possible,” said Ian Rongve, assistant deputy minister with the ministry’s Pharmaceutical, Laboratory and Blood Services Division.Rongve had been invited by the association to provide an update on the ministry’s recent pharmacy-related initiatives, and to outline how it sees the profession evolving in the future.Strip away the headlines, he said, and much of the pressure on the healthcare system today comes down to patients struggling to get timely care. Pharmacists, he said, are already helping fill that gap and will play a larger role going forward.On March 31, the province closed consultations on proposed changes that would expand pharmacists’ scope—adding at least eight new conditions, such as migraines, sinus infections, erectile dysfunction and recurrent genital herpes—while also giving pharmacists clearer authority to order and interpret lab tests as part of routine care.Rongve said the ministry is now working through that feedback and emphasized that any expansion is expected to come with compensation, not added unpaid work. Later, however, he clarified that pharmacists shouldn’t expect to be paid for ordering lab tests, saying that no other profession is compensated for that activity.The update comes alongside a broader reorganization of how health services are delivered and managed in the province: last year, much of B.C.'s IT infrastructure was centralized under a new entity, Connected Services BC, part of a wider push to streamline systems across government.The goal, Rongve said, was to create a more unified digital experience, allowing residents to access services through a single entry point. This year, the province established BC Shared Health Services, to consolidate functions like procurement, logistics and data across health authorities. However Rongve assured attendees that, despite these changes, core B.C. drug programs will remain under the purview of the Ministry of Health.“We fought pretty hard to keep PharmaCare, PharmaNet and MSP,” he said, noting that PharmaNet in particular functions not just as a database, but as the operational backbone of the province’s drug coverage program.Modernizing PharmaNet remains a key focus however, said Rongve. B.C.’s new prescription management-enabled software—known as Provincial Prescription Management (PPM)—is currently being rolled out across the province. Rongve said attendees should expect first applications of the software by the fall, but admitted he didn't know if that was a "hard deadline." On the Pharmacare front, B.C. has already begun implementing its federal agreement. In March 2026, the province launched universal coverage for diabetes medications under its National Pharmacare Plan (Plan NP), making most insulins and other diabetes treatments fully covered for all residents. The plan also includes coverage for menopausal hormone therapy, with the province already providing universal coverage for contraceptives prior to the agreement. Additional diabetes-related supplies—such as lancets, ketone strips and alcohol swabs—were added in April, along with coverage for certain hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery systems.Rongve said early data suggests the program is already easing pressure on the system. In March alone, the government processed 655,000 claims under Plan NP. At the same time, average wait times for regular-priority special authority (SA) requests have dropped significantly, from 12 weeks in March 2025 to four weeks in March 2026. The ministry expects current Plan NP coverage to help with SA capacity through a reduction of up to 20,000 requests per year. “It’s fair to say national Pharmacare is going gangbusters in British Columbia."But Rongve cautioned that the funding model comes with risks. Federal support is guaranteed for three years, after which the province would need to absorb the full cost. And while expanded coverage is expected to reduce administrative burden in some areas, increased access may also drive higher demand for medications and services.“It’s a bit of a double-edged sword." Other reforms are still in development, including a new funding model for long-term care pharmacy services, following ongoing service gaps and the loss of some community providers. Rongve closed with a Q&A session that touched on everything from virtual care to drug coverage pressures, including the growing attention around GLP-1 medications. He cautioned against viewing them as a solution to broader system challenges—particularly given their high cost. “Frankly, between all of us, I don’t think generics are going to save us."

B.C. ‘moving as quickly as possible’ to implement expanded scope: Ministry of Health

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