Pharmacy Practice

• National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI): Extended dose intervals for COVID-19 vaccines to optimize early vaccine rollout and population protection in Canada in the context of limited vaccine supply 

• National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI): Summary of Extended Dose Intervals Statement of April 7, 2021 

• Vaccines for COVID-19: How to get vaccinated or register 

• Reported side effects following COVID-19 vaccination in Canada 

• NACI rapid response: Recommended use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in younger adults

• Guidance on the prioritization of key populations for COVID-19 immunization

• Immunization of persons with chronic diseases: Canadian Immunization Guide 

• Webinars on immunization clinic planning, and vaccine planning and administration 

• Recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines 

• Statement from the Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health:  Implementing COVID-19 Vaccination in Canada — Vaccine Dose Interval 

• Vaccine Rollout: Vaccine Forecasted Allocation Tables 

• Vaccines and treatments for COVID-19: Vaccine rollout  

• Vaccine safety, concerns and possible side effects 

• Covid-19 Vaccine Tools to Increase Access and Maximize Uptake; The Centre for Effective Practice (CEP) website provides materials rigorously vetted by experts and, therefore, supported by evidence. These materials will continue to be updated as new information becomes available. In addition, the 19tozero website provides up-to-date information on all of the work that is underway.

Adverse Events

• Reporting Adverse Events Following Immunizations in Canada and Contact information for Adverse Events Following Immunization

• Public Health Agency of Canada’s Covid-19 Vaccine Adverse Event Following Immunization Reporting Form used for every province except: 

  • Alberta
  • British Columbia
  • Manitoba
  • New Brunswick
  • Ontario
  • Quebec

• Health Canada’s Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) for COVID-19 Vaccines Report. This report will be updated on a weekly basis, includes information about cases received by the Public Health Agency of Canadian Adverse Events Following Immunization Surveillance System (CAEFISS) and Health Canada's Canada Vigilance Program.

In an effort to share information and best hospital pharmacy practices regarding COVID-19, the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists has set-up a special open access (free to members and non-members) Pharmacy Specialty Network (PSN). 

Register now to join the COVID-19 PSN here: https://qid.io/COVID19PSN/home

Already registered for QID? Access the COVID-19 PSN here: https://qid.io/COVID19PSN#/

• June 30, 2020 Preparing for a Second COVID Wave: Personal and Departmental Considerations (Allan Mills, Courtney Macmillan)
• June 25, 2020 Disease in the Body of COVID-19 Related Scientific Literature: Fabrication, Falsification or Fallacy (Bruce Dalton)
• June 18, 2020 Drug Shortages During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Conservation Strategies and Therapeutic Alternatives (Salmaan Kanji)
• June 9 ,2020 Pharmacy Student Experiences During COVID-19 Pandemic (Mikayla Miskew, Nancy Qiao)
• June 4, 2020 Care of Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reflections and Strategies for Medication and Patient Safety (Dana Trafford, Justin Lee)
• June 2, 2020 Remdesivir — What's with all the noise? (Alfred Gin)
• May 28, 2020 Pharmacy Involvement at a Long-Term Care Home (Bradley Murphy, Ezekiel Ang, Julie Lalonde, Stephanie Dean)   
• May 26, 2020 Our Experience with Virtual Care – Perspectives from the Pharmacists Clinic (Adrien Ziemczonek, Jamie Yuen, Jillian Reardon, Nicole Domanski, Timothy Lim)
• May 21, 2020 Medications at the End-of-Life: Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy for the Dying Patient - Part 2 (Lawrence Jackson)
• May 19, 2020 Medications at the End-of-Life: Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy for the Dying Patient - Part 1 (Lawrence Jackson)
• May 14, 2020 The Role of Team-Based Primary-Care Pharmacists During a Pandemic (Rob Pammett)
• May 12, 2020 Panel: Pharmacy Residents' Experiences During a Pandemic (Courtney Blue, Caitlin Coons, Jackson Stewart)
• May 7, 2020 Prescribing the Right Course of Action: Pharmacy Ethics in a Pandemic (Alison Thompson)     
• May 5, 2020 COVID-19: What Employees Need from Leadership (Joe Dagenais, Nilu Partovi)
• April 30, 2020 Field Hospitals: A Royal Canadian Medical Service Perspective (Sean Meredith, Michael Gauthier)   
• April 23, 2020 Ventilators are only good if you have the medications to use them: understanding drug supply during COVID-19 (Christina Adams)
• April 21, 2020 Conserving Drugs with Sterile Compounding During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Vivian KT Lee)
• April 16, 2020 Pediatric COVID-19 Treatment Considerations (Kat Timberlake)
• April 14, 2020 ICU 101 for Pharmacists - Crash Course in Critical Care — Part 2 (Sharon Yamashita)
• April 9, 2020 ICU 101 for Pharmacists - Crash Course in Critical Care — Part 1 (Sharon Yamashita)
• April 9, 2020 What are the Treatment Options for COVID-19? (Panel Discussion) (Miranda So, Cesilia Nishi, Dan Landry)
• April 7, 2020 Adapting Hospital Pharmacy Practice During a Pandemic (Doug Doucette, Tania Mysak)   
• April 2, 2020 Evaluating Evidence for Emerging Therapies During a Pandemic (Jeremy Slobodan)
• March 31, 2020 COVID19: Managing Autoimmune, Psychiatric and Trauma Responses (Joel Lamoure)
• March 26, 2020 Implementing Hospital Telepharmacy: Review of CSHP’s Telepharmacy Guidelines (Kevin McDonald, Sammu Dhaliwall)
• March 24, 2020 Going Nsane over NSAIDs: Evaluation of the evidence behind the rejection of ibuprofen in management of COVID-19 (Cody Magnusson)

Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy 

Antiviral Therapy during the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic: Is It Appropriate to Treat Patients in the Absence of Significant Evidence?

CSHP-BC COVID-19 What Pharmacists Know Now: Free Short Video Series

CSHP-NB 

COVID-19 Patient Discharge Tips 

See CSHP's full statement on COVID-19 here.

Excerpt:

Additional Member Updates

• March 21, 2020
• March 28, 2020   

CSHP in the News

CMAJ —Temporary fixes to chronic drug shortages leave Canada vulnerable

CBC Second Opinion - Safety Prioritized

CBC-Metro Morning - Implications for workers left off of Ontario's "pandemic pay" 

Winnipeg Free Press - Drug shortages push federal government to seek new suppliers  

CTV News - COVID-19 exposes drug supply gaps as 'made in Canada' solution proposed

CTV News - Forgotten Healthcare Workers Not on list for Ontario's $4 per hour wage increase 

Globe and Mail — Doctors brace for shortages of sedation drugs needed for surgeries, intubation   

Article archive

Media Contact

Christina Adams
613-912-3494

We have partnered with all major pharmacy sector stakeholders to advocate on a number of fronts with several government agencies. In addition to contributing to pandemic response teams at various levels, CSHP signed on to an open letter to the Government of Canada, led by CPhA and co-signed by 16 other national and provincial organizations, that calls for Health Canada to recognize pharmacists as essential healthcare providers, with respect to the supply and allocation of PPE. CSHP is working with CPhA to craft evidence-based PPE best-practice recommendations.

CSHP members – pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy students, interns and residents – insured with our preferred provider BMS are in good hands. Please review the COVID-19: Insurance Coverage Position Statement for details. A note for our retired members: If you return to work, you must purchase an active policy (and should check with your provincial regulatory body about registration to active status). Pro-rated fees are available for shorter terms between now and June 30, 2020. Learn more here.

A complete .pdf copy of CSHP member, Dr. Joel Lamoure's letter can be accessed here.

Excerpt:

Social Media

Use #COVID19RX for treatments related to COVID-19

Ethics

• Ethical decision-making and duty of care (BCCDC) 

Publications

• The Liverpool Drug Interaction Group (based at the University of Liverpool, UK), in collaboration with the University Hospital of Basel (Switzerland) and Radboud UMC (Netherlands), have produced various materials in .pdf format to aid the use of experimental agents in the treatment of COVID-19. Access the website with .pdf resources on COVID_19 here: COVID-19 Drug interactions.

Federal Government Resources

• COVID-19 signs, symptoms and severity of disease: A clinician guide 
• Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): For health professionals 
• Health Canada COVID-19 Treatment Drug List 
• COVID-19 - main page   
• Infection Prevention and Control for (COVID-19): Second Interim Guidance for Acute Healthcare Settings
• Infection Prevention and Control for (COVID-19): Interim Guidance for Outpatient and Ambulatory Care Settings 
• Health product industry
• Guidance on exemptions for prescriptions of controlled substances under the CDSA and its Regulations (March 19, 2020)
  If permitted within the applicable provincial/territorial scopes of practice, the exemptions permit pharmacists to extend prescriptions; permit pharmacists to transfer prescriptions to other pharmacists; permit prescribers to issue verbal orders (i.e., over the phone) to extend or refill a prescription; and permit pharmacy employees to deliver prescriptions of controlled substances to patients’ homes or other locations where they may be (i.e., self isolating). View the exemptions in English or French.

UpToDate Coronavirus Topic

For clinicians at the front lines of the outbreak who are seeking the most current, evidence-based clinical decision support, the Coronavirus topic on UpToDate is available for free: English (worldwide access)

HealthCare Organizations

• COVID-19 Recommandations 
• COVID-19 Mesures Sanitaires 
• Consulter la publication 
• COVID-19 SedationSI et bloc 
• COVID-19 Soins Palliatifs 
• SHS & UHN current clinical management and drug information
• ASHP COVID-19 Connect Community

Resources for Re-familiarizing with Critical Care and Medical Emergencies   

• Navigating Medical Emergencies
• Critical Care for the Non-ICU Clinician

Drug Evidence Summaries

• COVID-19 Drug Evidence Initiative