The forms require physicians to obtain permission to prescribe certain drugs not listed on the provincial formulary, documenting their reasons. Pharmacists must then certify whether each request is appropriate. The OPA has received hundreds of complaints from pharmacists about the complexity of the forms, the time it takes to fill them out, and the lack of payment for cognitive services, Hodgson says. The government plans to revise the forms by April 1. Until then, pharmacists can dispense limited use drugs from prescriptions received from patients where the physician has confirmed the reason for use according to ODB rules.
Pharmacists can also refill prescriptions using existing, valid limited use forms.