Effective July 1, 2026, pharmacists are authorized to assess and prescribe for the following minor ailments:
- Acne (mild)
- Allergic rhinitis
- Calluses and corns
- Candidal stomatitis (oral thrush)
- Conjunctivitis (bacterial, allergic and viral)
- Dermatitis (atopic, eczema, allergic or contact)
- Dermatitis (diaper)
- Dysmenorrhea
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Hemorrhoids
- Herpes labialis (cold sores)
- Impetigo
- Insect bites and urticaria (hives)
- Mild headache (tension-type)
- Musculoskeletal sprains and strains
- Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy
- Oral aphthae (canker sores)
- Pediculosis (head lice)
- Pinworms and threadworms
- Seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff)
- Tick bites, post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent Lyme disease
- Tinea corporis (ringworm)
- Tinea cruris (jock itch)
- Urinary tract infections (uncomplicated)
- Verrucae (warts, excluding face and genitals)
- Viral rhinitis, rhinosinusitis (nasal congestion)
- Vulvovaginal candidiasis (yeast infection)
- Xeropthalmia (dry eye)
Ontario’s publicly funded Minor Ailment Program will include all 28 minor ailment conditions, recognizing pharmacists’ time and professional expertise while ensuring equitable access to care for all Ontarians.
For over a decade, OPA advocated for the expansion of pharmacists’ scope of practice to include the authority to assess and, if necessary, prescribe for minor ailments. Following extensive advocacy work, regulations came into force on:
- January 1, 2023: Thirteen minor ailments added to scope
- October 1, 2023: Inclusion of six more minor ailments
- July 1, 2026: Inclusion of nine more minor ailments
While additional conditions (otitis externa, insomnia, herpes zoster, acute pharyngitis and onychomycosis) have been proposed, further work is required to support their implementation. OPA continues to work with government to add the remaining proposed minor ailments in early 2027.
Other continued priorities related to minor ailments include but are not limited to:
- Advocating for the addition of more minor ailment conditions to scope in addition to other expansions of scope of practice that are required to support safe and effective prescribing (e.g., authority to order lab tests, therapeutic substitution)Removal of prescriptive drug lists from the regulations
- Ensuring that new scopes of practice are appropriately remunerated under the publicly funded program
- Enabling pharmacists in all settings to practice to full scope
- Expanding the publicly funded program to provide remuneration for all minor ailment assessments provided by pharmacists regardless of where it is provided (e.g., long-term care, family health teams, etc.)
OPA Resources
Prescribing for Minor Ailments 6 Conditions, October 2023
Additional Resources
MAPflow Annual Subscription
Minor Ailments Prescribing Workflow Tool
MAPflow equips pharmacy professionals with a purpose-built clinical decision support tool for minor ailment services, covering both prescribing and OTC consultations. It supports all conditions currently authorized for prescribing and with automatic updates aligned to regulatory changes, MAPflow ensures your practice stays current without added effort. By integrating it into your workflow, you are delivering faster, more confident assessments and supporting best-in-class clinical care.
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Related Resources
Last Updated: June 18, 2026