Hello and welcome to Introduction to Pharmacology. My name is Dr. Bill Teal-Jones. I'm a professor in the Faculty of Health Disciplines at Athabasca University.
In today's video, we'll talk about drug schedules. By way of background, drug schedules are classification tools for drugs and substances or chemicals used to make drugs. They are defined based on medical use and potential for abuse and dependency. A national drug schedule was endorsed by the National Association of Pharmaceutical Regulatory Authorities, or NAPRA, and this model applies to each province and territory so that drugs may be sold across Canada with consistent regulations.
There are three schedules, or four categories, of drugs. Narcotics and controlled substances are not included in the NDS. They are instead scheduled according to a different regulatory network with the control Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
Health Canada has the authority and responsibility to evaluate products for safety and efficacy, and Health Canada also approves health products for sale. It decides what needs a prescription, and a complete list of prescription drugs is maintained in the prescription drug list online, maintained by Health Canada. The role of NAPRA begins after Health Canada approval.
for market authorization. And NAPRA essentially determines the conditions for sale. So with that background, let's go ahead and talk about specific drug schedules.
Schedule 1 drugs are those which require a prescription for sale. They're provided to the public by the pharmacist following the diagnosis and professional intervention of a practitioner. These must be controlled in a regulated environment and This is defined through provincial pharmacy legislation. Schedule 2 drugs are less strictly regulated. No prescription is required, but Schedule 2 drugs do require professional intervention from the pharmacist at the point of sale and possibly referral to a practitioner.
Furthermore, Schedule 2 drugs must be stored where there is no public access. Schedule 3 drugs are also available without a prescription. However, given that they may present risks to certain populations in self-selection, they are sold from the self-selection area of the pharmacy under direct supervision of the pharmacist, and this too may be subject to local professional requirements. Unscheduled drugs are those which can be sold without professional supervision and can be sold from any retail outlet. They still must be clearly labeled and inform consumers about making safe and effective choices.
The enforcement of drug acts is the purview of the Health Protection Branch, so they enforce drug legislation and also receive applications for approval of new drugs. Health Protection Branch is charged with doing an extensive investigation of drugs and assign what are known as DIN numbers. A DIN or Drug Identification Number is an 8-digit number that indicates a drug has been approved for sale in Canada, and this can be found on all drug labels.
DIN numbers apply to all substances which manufacturers want to market as a drug. This guarantees composition, dosage, and purity of the drug being marketed. Complementary and herbal drugs, as well as drugs sold as nutritional supplements, do not require a Drug Identification Number. and we'll talk a little bit more about these in the next video.