Pharmacists prescribing for common ailments in Ontario (free assessment with your OHIP card)

In Ontario, a pharmacist can assess you and prescribe certain medicines for common ailments without a visit to a doctor: acid reflux, acne, calluses and corns, canker sores, cold sores, dandruff, dermatitis, diaper rash, dry eye, hay fever, head lice, hemorrhoids, impetigo, insect bites and hives, jock itch, menstrual cramps, mild headache, nasal congestion, nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, oral thrush, parasitic worms, pink eye, ringworm, sprains and strains, tick bites, urinary tract infections (UTIs), warts and yeast infections. Pharmacists can also prescribe medicine to treat COVID-19 and the flu.

Program in Ontario-wide. Health & care

How to reach them

1. Call or visit your local pharmacy and ask if they prescribe for your ailment.
2. Say who you are and what you are offering or asking.
3. Come back here and tell us if they answered.

Where else they are

Their website is ontario.ca/page/pharmacies.

Good to know

• For whomAnyone with an Ontario health card (OHIP). The rules have no age limit, but age can matter for some ailments, so the pharmacist decides case by case. If you have no health card, the pharmacist may charge a reasonable fee for the service.
• CostNo extra cost with your OHIP card. If you get a prescription, there may be costs or fees for dispensing the medicine.
• Their stepsCall your local pharmacy first. Ask if they prescribe for your problem and if you need an appointment, because not every pharmacy offers this. Some pharmacists can also do it virtually. Bring your Ontario health card (OHIP). The pharmacist assesses you and, if it is right for you, prescribes a medicine. If you need lab tests or more care, they may refer you to a doctor or nurse practitioner. The pharmacist must tell your family doctor or nurse practitioner, if you have one, about the prescription.

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