Box 1 Recommendations

1. Harmonize prescriptive authority for contraception across Canada Facilitating consistent full scope of prescribing authority across Canada is a focus of the recently launched Canadian Pharmacists’ Harmonized Scope 2020 initiative. The initiative promises to “support and enable national and provincial efforts to extend, expand and harmonize scope of practice across the country.” 3 Trusting provincial relationships developed through the current CPhA Pharmacists’ Opioid Stewardship initiative may facilitate the recognition of pharmacists as collaborative health care professionals and enable similar harmonization strategies for contraceptives. 2. Create technical assistance tools for pharmacy-based contraception care A well-accepted pharmacist checklist and resource guide have recently been developed for the pharmacist dispensing of mifepristone/misoprostol for medical abortion. 60 Similar resources for contraceptive prescribing would be a valuable asset to enable the standardization of contraceptive prescribing across the country, among other tools. 3. Develop a curriculum framework for contraception The curriculum framework would include independent prescribing for contraception that would align in all schools of pharmacy and continuing professional development (CCCEP-accredited) programs for practising pharmacists. 4. Standardize pharmacist remuneration payment for contraception care visits A sustainable infrastructure that enables payment for the initial assessment, prescribing and follow-up visits by pharmacists must be implemented in all jurisdictions to optimize the implementation of contraception care by pharmacists. 5. Conduct pharmacy practice research Conduct research to facilitate implementation, evaluate the program and measure outcomes of pharmacist contraceptive prescribing. 51 Implementation science studies should research pharmacist barriers and facilitators, system-based barriers/facilitators and patient elements. Program evaluations should describe patient utilization, satisfaction and patterns of contraceptive care. Outcomes studies will measure reach and impact.