Alberta Health and Wellness places no limitation on the quantities of drugs that may be prescribed. Prescribers exercise their professional judgment in determining the course and duration of treatment for their patients. In most cases, Alberta Health and Wellness will not pay benefits for more than a 100-day supply of a drug at one time.
The pharmacist may charge one dispensing fee and one additional inventory allowance for each prescription for most drugs listed in the Alberta Health and Wellness Drug Benefit List.
The agreement with pharmacy proprietors contains a list of 100-day supply drugs. Dispensing should be in these quantities once the medical therapy of the patient is in the maintenance stage, unless there are unusual circumstances that require these quantities not be dispensed.
Drugs considered as maintenance or long-term therapy in the following therapeutic classes should be dispensed for 100 days:
- anticoagulants
- anticonvulsants
- digitalis and digitalis glycosides
- hypoglycemic agents
- thyroid drugs
- vitamins
- oral contraceptives
- antihypertensive agents
- conjugated estrogens
- antiarthritics
