Common Ailments

Prior to incorporating activities that relate to Common Ailments into practice, pharmacy professionals must declare to have participated in Common Ailments Orientation (attended in person or have read the accompanying document). Pharmacy professionals are then able to notify the New Brunswick College of Pharmacists through a link on their online profile.

New Brunswick pharmacists may prescribe a drug, treatment or device for the treatment of a condition listed below. Regulations 21.8(1) and 21.8(2) describe this authority in more detail. 

When searching the College’s online Directory of Pharmacy Professionals, authorization for Common Ailments is indicated next to the pharmacy professional’s name and registration number.

For information regarding publicly funded services, please visit the Government of New Brunswick Pharmacy Services website.

Pharmacists may prescribe Schedule I, Schedule II, Schedule III and Unscheduled vaccines (individual or combination products) and/or drug products for the prevention of the following:  

Pharmacists may assess and prescribe treatment for the following Chronic Diseases ONLY if practicing at one of the pharmacies authorized to assess and treat these conditions:

  • Asthma 
  • Cardiovascular Disease 
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary (COPD) 
  • Diabetes

Authorized pharmacies

Familiprix, 1351 Rue des Fondateurs, Paquetville, NB

Jean Coutu, 438 Coverdale Rd., Riverview, NB

Lawtons Drugs, Brookeside Mall, 435 Brookeside Dr., Fredericton, NB

The Medicine Shoppe, 1685 Main St., Moncton, NB

Pharmasave, 599 Main St., Hampton, NB

Shoppers Drug Mart, 1040 Prospect St., Fredericton, NB

  • Allergic Rhinitis 
  • Calluses and Corns 
  • Conjunctivitis (allergic and bacterial) 
  • Contact Allergic Dermatitis 
  • Dandruff 
  • Dysmenorrhea 
  • Dyspepsia Emergency Contraception 
  • Fungal Infections of the Skin 
  • Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease 
  • Group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis
  • Hemorrhoids
  • Herpes Simplex 
  • Herpes Zoster (shingles) 
  • Impetigo 
  • Mild Acne 
  • Mild Headache 
  • Mild to Moderate Eczema 
  • Mild Urticaria (including bites and stings) 
  • Minor Joint Pain 
  • Minor Muscle Pain 
  • Minor Sleep Disorders 
  • Nausea
  • Nicotine dependence 
  • Non-infectious Diarrhea 
  • Oral Fungal Infection (thrush) 
  • Oral Ulcers 
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) 
  • Threadworms and Pinworms 
  • Upper respiratory tract symptoms (cough, nasal congestion and discharge, sore throat, fever, malaise) 
  • Urinary Tract Infection (uncomplicated) 
  • Vaginal Candidiasis 
  • Warts (excluding facial and genital) 
  • Xerophthalmia (dry eyes)  

  • Cholera (pharmacist may prescribe only the oral, inactivated vaccine)
  • Diphtheria
  • Group A Streptococcus
  • Haemophilus influenzae type B
  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Herpes zoster (shingles)
  • Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
  • Lyme Disease
  • Malaria
  • Measles
  • Meningococcal disease
  • Mumps
  • Pertussis
  • Pneumococcal Disease
  • Polio
  • Pregnancy (oral, transdermal, transvaginal and injection hormonal drug products)
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
  • Rubella
  • Seasonal Influenza
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
  • Tetanus
  • Traveler’s Diarrhea (pharmacist may also prescribe pre-emptive treatment)
  • Varicella zoster (chickenpox)

Pharmacists may prescribe vaccines for the following travel-related diseases upon successful completion a training program in travel medicine approved by Council. (2020)

  • Cholera (other than the oral, inactivated vaccine)
  • European tick-borne encephalitis
  • Japanese encephalitis
  • Rabies
  • Typhoid
  • Yellow fever

↑ Back to top ↑