The British Columbia College of Pharmacists has been working with Canada’s Department of Health to make the combination of mifepristone and misoprostol (for the termination of a developing intra-uterine pregnancy up to a gestational age of 49 days) available directly from a pharmacist.
The product, Mifegymiso (Linepharma International), was approved by Health Canada in 2015, and was placed on the Prescription Drug List (PDL). The provincial drug schedules also classified the two ingredients as prescription drugs (requiring a physician’s intervention).
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. and the College of Pharmacists of B.C. have been working behind the scenes for months to find a way to circumvent the federal drug regulator’s plan for physician-only dispensing of Mifegymiso. Abortion advocates say that because most doctors’ offices are not equipped to act as miniature pharmacies, the dispensing requirement is likely to discourage physicians.
It seems that the intention may be to work around the regulations, though this may not be well received by federal regulators. Health Canada also advised that working around the regulations would have an impact on the liability of pharmacists.
Mifepristone has been approved in more than 60 countries, including the United States, where it has been available since 2000. Canada did not approve the drug until July 2015, and manufacturing issues have since delayed its sale.
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