PrescribeIT being shut down due to low adoption rates as Infoway looks to promote open e-prescribing standard

Canada Health Infoway says its PrescribeIT program is shutting down due to low adoption rates and will instead move to promote an open e-prescribing standard.In a statement posted to the PrescribeIT website on Thursday, Infoway says the service “has not reached the scale required to support long-term sustainability, particularly in the absence of broader system levers.”“As a result, and following extensive collaboration with governments and health system partners to explore all viable sustainability options, an open-standards approach has been established as the future pathway for e-prescribing in Canada,” the federally funded non-profit said.The Globe and Mail was the first outlet to report on the planned closure of PrescribeIT. The newspaper said according to federal government estimates, fewer than 5% of prescriptions in Canada.Infoway had been seeking a private operator to take over the program, amid reductions in government funding. To make up for some of the funding gaps, PrescribeIT began imposing a 20-cent transaction fee to pharmacies (and not prescribers) at the beginning of 2025, dealing a significant blow to PrescribeIT’s adoption rates as many frustrated pharmacists dropped the service.PrescribeIT will conclude on May 29, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. Infoway says the transition is being managed carefully to ensure the service remains stable and reliable for users throughout the transition period.”Instead of creating a centrally operated service, Infoway says it’s now looking to support the development of an open e-prescribing standard. And last week, the federal government reintroduced a bill that would promote the creation of such interoperable health data standards.“The national e-prescribing standard will be made publicly available prior to the service conclusion to enable jurisdictions and vendors to continue advancing e-prescribing in ways that align with local priorities, readiness, and implementation approaches,” Infoway said.The Canadian Pharmacists Association, which was vocal in its opposition to the 20-cent transaction fee, welcomed the move towards an open standard, while calling for a governance model that addresses pharmacists' concerns.“As we look ahead to the next phase of e-prescribing in Canada, it’s critical that the funding and governance model is fair and sustainable,” association CEO Glen Doucet said in a news release Thursday. “Pharmacies should not be expected to absorb the full cost of a system that delivers value across the entire health-care system. A cost-sharing model, supported by governments integrating e-prescribing into healthcare systems, would more fairly distribute the associated costs.”

PrescribeIT being shut down due to low adoption rates as Infoway looks to promote open e-prescribing standard

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