Special Authority Process

Special Authority forms are completed by practitioners on behalf of their patients. There are general and specific Special Authority forms. These forms can be forwarded to PharmaCare by mail, fax or telephone.

For Special Authority forms, click here.

Special Authority requests are adjudicated according to established criteria. Requests that meet the established criteria will be approved. Requests that do not meet the established criteria will be rejected. However, under exceptional circumstances, PharmaCare may consider coverage on an individual, case by case basis.

Special Authorities are prioritized by date received and the urgency of the request. On average, most requests are processed within two weeks. To ensure PharmaCare coverage, approval must take place prior to purchase or dispensing of a prescription drug. Retroactive coverage is not provided.

Click on a category link to view the drugs listed within the category. If a drug is not on the list, it does not qualify for Special Authority consideration, or it is currently a benefit with the PharmaCare program.

Drugs are listed by Generic Name only. Click on a drug link to view the Special Authority criteria. To help you find existing Special Authority criteria for generic drugs, click here to find a cross reference of common brand drug and generic drug values.

Approved requests are entered into a patient's PharmaNet record. The Special Authority coverage is then accessible by British Columbia pharmacies. Special authorities are valid from the effective date for various periods of time, depending on the medication and use.

Information regarding requests is returned to the practitioner by fax or mail.

If necessary, Special Authority coverage may be renewed. To ensure continuity of coverage, requests for renewal should be submitted at least two weeks before the expiry date.