Regulatory Statement 26-008 - Opioid Agonist Treatment Practice Guides

Sep 17, 2026

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Regulatory Statement 26-008 provides guidance for pharmacy professionals and pharmacies to deliver opioid agonist treatment (OAT) for opioid use disorder through oral buprenorphine/naloxone maintenance (BMT), oral methadone maintenance (MMT), slow release oral morphine (SROM), and injectable hydromorphone maintenance. It explains that OUD is a chronic, relapsing condition and that medication choice should be individualized through discussion of risks, benefits, client goals, treatment history, and circumstances. The statement outlines required familiarity with OAT Standards, appended practice guides, product monographs, and relevant clinical guidelines, plus applicable legislation and supporting forms.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages55

Reading Time2 h 19 min

AccessFree to download

Purpose

Background

Practice Guides and Related Documents

Legislation

Additional Information

Practice Guide: Buprenorphine/Naloxone Maintenance Treatment (Appendix A)

Introduction

How to Use This Guide

Regulatory Statement 26-008 Opioid Agonist Treatment Practice Guides Purpose This Regulatory Statement provides information and guidance to help pharmacy professionals and pharmacies provide opioid agonist treatment (“OAT”) for opioid use disorder (“OUD”) through oral buprenorphine/naloxone maintenance treatment (“BMT”), oral methadone maintenance treatment (“MMT”), slow release oral morphine (“SROM”) maintenance treatment , and injectable hydromorphone maintenance treatment, in accordance with Schedule E.12 (“OAT Standards”) of the College bylaws under the Health Professions and Occupations Act (“HPOA Bylaws”) . Background OUD is a health concern with implications for the client as well as the public. The choice of OAT for OUD is an individually tailored and client-centred process whereby clinicians discuss the risks and benefits of all OAT options with clients and collaboratively select a medication. The selection should align with the client’s goals, treatment history and other individual circumstances. OUD is recognized as a chronic relapsing condition. OAT is recommended as the standard of care for people with OUD. Before providing OAT services, pharmacy professionals and pharmacies must be familiar with the restrictions and requirements for each therapy type, as set out in the following: • The OAT Standards. • The Practice Guides and related documents appended to and forming part of this Regulatory Statement. • The product monographs of Health Canada-approved, commercially available strengths and formulations of OAT drugs. • The current British Columbia Centre on Substance Use (“BCCSU”) document “A Guideline for the Clinical Management of Opioid Use Disorder ”. Pharmacy professionals involved in providing OAT services are expected to use sound professional judgment ensuring that their decisions are made in the best interest of the client and with appropriate collaboration, notification, and documentation. Practice Guides and Related Documents See Appendix A for Practice Guide: Buprenorphine/Naloxone Maintenance Treatment See Appendix B for Practice Guide: Methadone Maintenance Treatment See Appendix C for Practice Guide: Slow Release Oral Morphine Maintenance Treatment See Appendix D for Practice Guide: Injectable Hydromorphone Maintenance Treatment See Appendix E for Part-Fill Accountability Log Form See Appendix F for OAT ( Non-MMT) Pharmacist/ Prescriber Communication Form See Appendix G for MMT Pharmacist/Prescriber Communication Form See Appendix H for Compounding Log Form See Appendix I for Methadone Drug Interactions Information See Appendix J for Pre-Injection Checklist See Appendix K for Post-Injection Checklist Legislation • Health Professions and Occupations Act (“HPOA”) s. 72(2) • HPOA s. 117 • HPOA Bylaws Schedule E.1 – Practice Standards: Community Pharmacy Services • HPOA Bylaws Schedule E.12 – Practice Standards: Opioid Agonist Treatment • HPOA Bylaws Schedule E.14 – Practice Standards: Controlled Drug Substances Delivery • Regulatory Statement 26-010 – Controlled Drug Substances Delivery • BCCSU’s “A Guideline for the Clinical Management of Opioid Use Disorder ” Additional Information This Regulatory Statement replaces and supersedes the following College publications: • “PPP-66 Policy Guide: Buprenorphine/Naloxone Maintenance Treatment (2018)” and all subsequent revisions published prior to the issue of this Regulatory Statement • “PPP-66 Policy Guide: Methadone Maintenance Treatment (2013)” and all subsequent revisions published prior to the issue of this Regulatory Statement • “PPP-66 Policy Guide: Slow Release Oral Morphine (SROM) Maintenance Treatment (2018)” and all subsequent revisions published prior to the issue of this Regulatory Statement • “PPP-67 Policy Guide: Injectable Hydromorphone Maintenance Treatment (2018)” and all subsequent revisions published prior to the issue of this Regulatory Statement For the purposes of

FAQs

What OAT options are covered by Regulatory Statement 26-008?

It covers oral buprenorphine/naloxone maintenance (BMT), oral methadone maintenance (MMT), slow release oral morphine (SROM) maintenance, and injectable hydromorphone maintenance treatment.

How should the choice of OAT be determined for a client with opioid use disorder?

Clinicians discuss risks and benefits of OAT options with clients and collaboratively select a medication aligned with the client’s goals, treatment history, and other individual circumstances.

What must pharmacy professionals be familiar with before providing OAT services?

They must know the restrictions and requirements for each therapy type as set out in the OAT Standards, the appended practice guides and related documents, Health Canada-approved product monographs, and the referenced BCCSU clinical guideline.

Sep 17, 2026

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