Minor Ailments and Contraception Services (MACS) and Pharmacy Education

In June, 2023, BC pharmacists saw one of the largest changes in their scope of practice in decades, with the introduction of Minor Ailment and Contraception Service prescribing, also known as MACS. Now, BC residents can seek treatment for 21 minor ailments and contraception directly from pharmacists. The initiative aims to make it easier and faster for residents to get the medication they need, while simultaneously leveraging the skills and expertise that pharmacists are already trained and equipped with in BC.

In this episode, we are joined by Gilly Lau and Jon Grosshuesch, two educators in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at UBC, to dive deeper into the topic of MACS and focus on this expanding scope of practice within pharmacy. We also explore how MACS has changed pharmacy education and training, both for students and working pharmacists.

This episode was recorded on February 18, 2025