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Notice of Change to Prescription Review Program Alerts

The Prescription Review Program (PRP), administered by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan (CPSS), will now be communicating prescribing alerts and potentially high-risk prescribing of PRP medications directly to Nurse Practitioners rather than routing alerts through the College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan (CRNS).

The PRP is an educational program that monitors prescribing and use of monitored medications to support safe and appropriate prescribing practices. The change is intended to streamline processes, ensuring consistency and timeliness of communication between multi-disciplinary prescribers.

Examples of alerts that may be communicated directly from the PRP include:

  • Medication diversion concerns
  • Multi-provider or multi-pharmacy use by patient
  • Urine drug screen discrepancies
  • Early medication fills

Each Alert will include potential management strategies to consider. Some alerts will be informational only, while others may require a response directly to the PRP. Response instructions and timelines will be included in the communication. To avoid a referral to the CRNS, please respond to the PRP upon request.

This change does not alter the role of the CRNS in supporting NPs. Susan Furman Pelzer, NP, will continue to serve as a direct contact for NPs seeking education, guidance and support related to prescribing practice. Referrals involving regulatory, conduct or competency concerns will continue to follow established processes.

If you have questions regarding a PRP alert, please follow the instructions included in the correspondence. You may also continue to contact the CRNS at prp@crns.ca for resources and guidance.

External Consultation: Documentation Guideline and Social Media Resource

The College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan (CRNS) is revising its Documentation Guideline and Social Media Resource. As part of the external consultation process, CRNS is inviting feedback on both documents from registrants and external partners, including the public.

Feedback will be collected through separate online surveys for each document. An updated draft version of each document is available to review as you complete the corresponding survey, allowing you to provide feedback on individual sections.

Documentation Guideline

Social Media Resource

The deadline to provide feedback for both consultations is September 3, 2026, at 4:30 pm. Your responses will be anonymous and confidential.

Saskatchewan Biosimilars Initiative: End of Initiative Period for Actemra, Stelara, and Xolair

The end of the Saskatchewan Biosimilars Initiative transition period for Actemra, Stelara and Xolair is July 31, 2026.

Starting August 1, 2026, the following reference biologics are no longer eligible for coverage under the Saskatchewan Drug Plan:

  • Actemra (tocilizumab)
  • Stelara (ustekinumab)
  • Xolair (omalizumab)

Under the Saskatchewan Biosimilars Initiative, patients receiving one of these reference biologics must transition to a biosimilar version to maintain Saskatchewan Drug Plan coverage of their treatment after July 31, 2026.

For more information, visit:

Subsection 56(1) Class Exemption for Nurse Practitioners to Prescribe Anabolic Steroids for Therapeutic Use

The CRNS has confirmed the Health Canada Subsection 56(1) Class Exemption for Nurse Practitioners to Prescribe Anabolic Steroids for Therapeutic Use applies to Saskatchewan Nurse Practitioners (NP) who have the knowledge, skill and judgment to care for clients experiencing the common medical disorder applicable to the exemption. 

NPs who incorporate this exemption into their practice are encouraged to monitor for updates from Health Canada as the exemption could be revoked or replaced by another exemption at any time. The CRNS Prescribing Controlled Drugs and Substances for NPs resource has been updated to reflect the applicability of the exemption in Saskatchewan.

CRNS Practice and Education Nursing Advisors are available to answer your questions by phone at 1.800.667.9945 or 306.359.4227 or by email at 

PRP@crns.ca.

Pharmacist Prescribing Information

Saskatchewan pharmacists may prescribe in specific situations outlined by the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy Professionals here. Details of and updates to pharmacists prescribing for minor ailments can be accessed through the Saskatchewan Health Information Resources Program (SHIRP) and the medSask section. If you do not have a SHIRP account, you are encouraged to sign up. These and many other resources are accessible through SHIRP.

Contact a CRNS Practice and Education Nursing Advisor by email at practiceadvice@crns.ca or by phone at 1.800.667.9945.

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