Pharmacy

What We Do

Our pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are dedicated to ensuring safe, timely and effective drug therapy for all types of patient care. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are part of your health care team and work closely with you and the other members of your team to ensure you get the best care possible. We work with you and your doctor to make sure you know your drug therapy options and receive the medication that’s right for you.​

The Team

​Treating and caring for people with cancer takes a well-coordinated team. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are important members of your health care team.

Pharmacist

Pharmacists are professionals who are responsible for ensuring that you receive the best medications for your condition. They:

• Review medication orders and double-check them to make sure they are correct
• Help ensure patient safety
• Give you information about your medications
• Tell you how to safely take your medications

Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy technicians are health care professionals who work in collaboration with pharmacists. Pharmacy technicians:

• Prepare drugs to make a chemotherapy treatment that fits your unique needs
• Prepare and dispense prescription medications
• Help ensure patient safety
  

Outpatient Pharmacy

​​​​​The Princess Margaret Outpatient Pharmacy is an accredited hospital-owned pharmacy. It offers specialty services to all patients, including walk-in patients, staff and visitors. All income generated by the pharmacy goes back to the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.

Our pharmacists have on-line access to the medical records, doctors’ notes, medication orders and up-to-date laboratory results for UHN patients. This information generally is not available to community pharmacists.

We specialize in cancer care and stock all medications prescribed by Princess Margaret Cancer Centre doctors. Local pharmacies do not always carry cancer medications and other specialty drugs. Waiting for medications to be ordered could mean a delay in starting your treatment.

At the Outpatient Pharmacy we use an independent double-checking system to ensure that we give you the right drugs with the right dose and the right instructions.

You can consult privately, one-on-one, with a pharmacist at the Outpatient Pharmacy to get answers to any questions you may have about the drugs your doctor has prescribed for you. To learn more about our pharmacy services, read the Princess Margaret Outpatient Pharmacy brochure [PDF]​.

A Medication Reimbursement Specialist is also available at the Outpatient Pharmacy. The Medication Reimbursement Specialist can give you advice and information to help you get financial assistance for drugs that are not paid for by the government or the hospital.

How to Prepare

When coming to the pharmacy, please bring:

• Your OHIP card
• Your private insurance card and documents (if you have private health insurance or drug coverage through work)
• 2 pieces of photo identification

To reduce the time you have to wait for your prescription to be filled, please drop off your prescription order as early as you can. You can also use our automated prescription renewal hotline. Please call at least 2 business days before you need the prescription.

Delivery Options

The pharmacy can deliver your medications to you for free anywhere in Ontario.*
The pharmacy will deliver:

• Medications you cannot get at your local pharmacy
• Any medication that is not in stock when you come in to pick it up​

You, a friend or a family member must be at the delivery address to receive the medication. The medication will not be left there if nobody is home to receive it.

The first time you receive a prescription you need to go to the pharmacy in person. At the pharmacy, the pharmacists will help you set up an account. After your account has been set up, your doctor’s office can fax your prescription to the pharmacy and we will deliver it to you.

*Some exceptions may apply. Call the Outpatient Pharmacy at 416 946 6593 for more details.​​

Systemic Therapy Pharmacy

​Pharmacists at the Systemic Therapy Pharmacy can give you information and answer any questions you may have about your medications. They will make sure that you receive the right chemotherapy and other medications for your treatments.

Before each treatment session, the pharmacist reviews and verifies all the medication sections of your treatment plan. A pharmacy technician then gathers the materials needed to make your chemotherapy or other drug therapy.

Making accurate and sterile chemotherapy takes time. The pharmacy technicians must make sure that they prepare your chemotherapy accurately, exactly as the doctor ordered. They also make sure the dose is sterile.

After the chemotherapy has been prepared, the pharmacist checks it again and compares it to the order to make sure it is correct.

How to Prepare

Before your chemotherapy or other drug treatment:

• Prepare a list of your current medications (including prescriptions, over-the-counter medication, vitamin and mineral supplements and herbal remedies) or bring your current medications in their original packages.
• Write down detailed information about any drug allergies you have, including when you found out about the allergy, what happened and how it was managed.
• Bring with you any prescribed pre-medications, or take them as directed by your doctor.
• Inform your nurse or pharmacist if you have or have not taken any pre-medications.​
  

Inpatient Pharmacy

​Some people may need to stay at the hospital for treatment in one of the inpatient care units.

Your inpatient pharmacist is a member of your health care team who ensures that the medications you receive while in the Cancer Centre are the most appropriate for you. 

Your pharmacist will meet with you to discuss your medication history, allergies and drug coverage issues, counsel you on your medications and answer questions you may have. They will monitor your drug therapy response while you are ​admitted and make sure you receive appropriate medications when you are discharged from the Cancer Centre.

How to Prepare

When you come to the Cancer Centre for an admission, bring:

• Your current medications (including prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, vitamin and mineral supplements, and herbal remedies) in their original packages
• Detailed written information about any drug allergies you have, including when you found out about the allergy, what happened, and how it was managed
• Your current health insurance drug coverage information