Guide · Updated September 2026
Ontario pharmacists can assess you and prescribe for 28 minor ailments. Here is the full list as of September 2026, the four conditions they can give antibiotics for, what it costs with and without a health card, and when you need a doctor instead.
The short version. Ontario pharmacists can prescribe treatment for 28 minor ailments named in provincial regulation, from uncomplicated urinary tract infections and pink eye to cold sores and acid reflux, and, since 1 July 2026, warts, head lice and dry eye. They can prescribe antibiotics for four of those conditions only. With a valid Ontario health card the assessment costs nothing; without one, the pharmacy charges its own fee. For anything not on the list, such as a sore throat, an ear infection or shingles, you still need a doctor or nurse practitioner.
Key facts at a glance
In this guide
As of September 2026, Ontario pharmacists can prescribe for 28 minor ailments. The list is set in Schedule 4 of Ontario Regulation 256/24 under the Pharmacy Act, 1991, and published by the Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP), the body that regulates pharmacists in the province.
OCP describes a minor ailment as a condition that is usually short-term, does not usually need lab tests, carries a low risk of hiding something more serious, shows no warning signs in your medications or medical history, and needs only minimal or short-term follow-up.
| Area | Conditions on the list |
|---|---|
| Skin | Mild acne; calluses and corns*; dermatitis (eczema, allergic or contact); diaper rash; impetigo; insect bites and hives; ringworm*; jock itch*; dandruff (seborrheic dermatitis)*; warts, not on the face or genitals* |
| Eyes | Conjunctivitis (pink eye) — bacterial, allergic or viral; dry eye* |
| Nose, mouth and head | Allergic rhinitis (hay fever); nasal congestion (viral rhinitis, rhinosinusitis)*; canker sores; cold sores; oral thrush; mild tension-type headache* |
| Stomach and gut | Acid reflux (GERD); hemorrhoids; nausea and vomiting of pregnancy; pinworms and threadworms |
| Urinary and reproductive | Uncomplicated urinary tract infection; vaginal yeast infection; period pain (dysmenorrhea) |
| Muscles and joints | Sprains and strains |
| Bites and parasites | Tick bites (medication to help prevent Lyme disease); head lice* |
* Added on 1 July 2026, per the Ontario Ministry of Health. Plain-language names; the regulation uses the clinical terms. Source: Ontario College of Pharmacists, list read 16 September 2026.
The list has grown in three steps. According to the Ontario Pharmacists Association (OPA), 13 conditions were added on 1 January 2023, six more on 1 October 2023, and nine more on 1 July 2026.
Yes, for four conditions only. OCP's list of eligible drugs, dated 1 July 2026, names antibiotics for these conditions and no others:
| Condition | Antibiotics a pharmacist may prescribe |
|---|---|
| Urinary tract infection (uncomplicated) | Fosfomycin, nitrofurantoin, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim |
| Conjunctivitis | Erythromycin, fusidic acid, gramicidin, polymyxin B, tobramycin, trimethoprim |
| Impetigo | Bacitracin, fusidic acid, gramicidin, mupirocin, ozenoxacin, polymyxin B |
| Tick bite, to help prevent Lyme disease | Doxycycline |
Source: Ontario College of Pharmacists, Eligible drugs for Minor Ailments Prescribing (Schedule 4 of O. Reg. 256/24), 1 July 2026. Which one you get, if any, is the pharmacist's clinical decision.
No antibiotic is listed for any other condition. A pharmacist in Ontario cannot prescribe an antibiotic for a sore throat, an ear infection or a chest infection, and none is listed for the nasal congestion condition that is on the list.
Yes, if it is uncomplicated, and it is by far the most common reason people use the service. Public Health Ontario reported in February 2026 that Ontario pharmacists submitted more than 1.47 million minor ailment claims in 2023 and 2024, and over one-third were for uncomplicated urinary tract infections. The same study found pharmacists increasingly chose first-line options such as nitrofurantoin, and were prescribing in line with policy requirements.
The pharmacist decides whether your infection counts as uncomplicated. If they decide not to prescribe, OCP requires them to explain why and give you a follow-up plan, which can include a referral to another provider.
Ontario pharmacists can also prescribe oseltamivir for influenza and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir for COVID-19. These are antivirals, not antibiotics.
With a valid Ontario health number, yes. The Ontario Ministry of Health states that "there is no cost to eligible persons" for publicly funded minor ailment services. The province pays the pharmacy $19 for an in-person assessment and $15 for a virtual one, and the service can be given in person or virtually, including by phone, from an eligible pharmacy.
The free part is the assessment. The medicine you are prescribed is a separate cost, paid the same way as any other prescription: through a drug plan, your insurance or out of pocket.
You can still be seen. The Ministry's own guidance says: "Visitors to Ontario or those without a valid Ontario health number can pay out-of-pocket for minor ailment services." OCP requires the fee to be clear to the patient and reasonable for the service, but each pharmacy sets its own. As one example, Yonge Eglinton Pharmacy in Toronto lists its assessment fee as $19 (September 2025). Ask before you are assessed.
If you have private insurance, a student plan or travel insurance, ask the pharmacy for a receipt. OCP encourages pharmacists to provide one so you can ask your insurer about reimbursement.
If your problem is on the list, try a pharmacist first. For many people without OHIP, a pharmacy assessment is the least expensive way to get a prescription for a minor ailment in Ontario, cheaper than a walk-in visit and cheaper than a consultation with us. We would rather tell you that than sell you something you don't need.
OCP's patient guide (June 2026) describes it this way:
Usually, yes. Under OCP's prescribing policy, Ontario pharmacists can:
These cannot be filled or renewed. OCP states that "Ontario pharmacies can only dispense prescriptions authorized or signed by a prescriber licensed in a Canadian province or territory." A prescription from a doctor abroad needs a new one from a prescriber licensed in Canada. Our guide to prescriptions for visiting parents covers this in detail.
Controlled substances include narcotics and certain other drugs covered by federal rules. OCP states that Ontario pharmacists can adapt these prescriptions. A federal exemption, in effect until 30 September 2026, also lets pharmacists renew them. When Canada's new Controlled Substances Regulations take effect on 1 October 2026, that renewal power becomes permanent. Ontario pharmacists still cannot swap one controlled substance for a different one.
According to OCP, Ontario pharmacists can also:
Anything that is not on the list. As of September 2026, common problems people ask about that are not on it include sore throat (including strep throat), ear infections, shingles, fungal nail infections and short-term insomnia.
That may change. The OPA says sore throat, shingles, swimmer's ear, fungal nail infection and short-term insomnia are expected to be added once the province approves the regulation, which it expects in early 2027. OCP says further changes are anticipated in early 2027, with details to come. Until the regulation changes, a pharmacist cannot prescribe for them.
Even for a condition on the list, a pharmacist will not prescribe if what you describe doesn't look minor, for example if there are warning signs, the problem keeps coming back, or it needs tests or close follow-up.
If you need a doctor and have no family doctor or no OHIP coverage, Doctor Fran offers phone consultations with a physician licensed in Ontario for a flat $82, with no health card needed. Doctor Fran is a virtual service with no physical location. If your concern needs an in-person exam, the physician will refer you to a walk-in clinic near you. Our guide to seeing a doctor in Ontario without a health card compares every option and its cost.
Ontario pharmacists can prescribe for 28 minor ailments listed in Schedule 4 of O. Reg. 256/24, including uncomplicated urinary tract infections, conjunctivitis, cold sores, acid reflux, allergic rhinitis, eczema, impetigo, vaginal yeast infections, tick bites and, since 1 July 2026, warts, head lice, dry eye and mild tension headache. They can also prescribe medication to help you quit smoking, antivirals for influenza and COVID-19, and renew or adapt most existing prescriptions.
Yes, if the infection is uncomplicated. Uncomplicated urinary tract infections are on Ontario's minor ailments list, and the drugs a pharmacist may prescribe for them are fosfomycin, nitrofurantoin, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. The pharmacist decides whether your infection counts as uncomplicated. If it does not, they must explain why and give you a plan, which can include a referral.
No. Sore throat, including strep throat, is not on Ontario's minor ailments list as of September 2026, so a pharmacist cannot prescribe for it. The Ontario Pharmacists Association says sore throat is among five conditions expected to be added once the province approves the regulation, which it expects in early 2027. Until then, a sore throat that needs a prescription needs a doctor or nurse practitioner.
With a valid Ontario health number, yes. The Ontario Ministry of Health states there is no cost to eligible patients for publicly funded minor ailment services, and it pays the pharmacy $19 for an in-person assessment and $15 for a virtual one. The medication you are prescribed is paid for separately, through your drug plan, insurance or out of pocket.
Yes. The Ministry of Health states that visitors to Ontario and others without a valid Ontario health number can pay out of pocket for minor ailment services. The Ontario College of Pharmacists requires the fee to be clear and reasonable, but each pharmacy sets its own. Yonge Eglinton Pharmacy in Toronto, for example, lists a $19 assessment fee. Ask before you are assessed and keep the receipt for any insurance claim.
Usually, yes. Ontario pharmacists can renew a prescription for continuity of care, up to the smaller of the quantity originally prescribed, including refills, or a 12-month supply. They need the prescription itself, a copy or confirmation from the pharmacy that dispensed it, or access to your medical record. They cannot fill or renew a prescription written by a prescriber licensed outside Canada.
Yes, where the pharmacy offers it. The Ministry of Health allows publicly funded minor ailment services to be provided in person or virtually, including by phone, from an eligible pharmacy, and pays the pharmacy $15 for a virtual assessment. Not every pharmacy offers virtual assessments, so ask yours.
Yes, if you have one. The Ontario College of Pharmacists states that the pharmacist will inform your primary healthcare provider about any prescription provided. If you have no family doctor, the pharmacist keeps the record, and it stays available to you and the people caring for you.
Related guides
The minor ailments list, eligible drugs, prescribing rules and controlled-substance changes were read on the Ontario College of Pharmacists' own pages, and the funding rules in the Ontario Ministry of Health's 19 May 2026 notice and Q&A, on 16 September 2026. The rules change often; check with your pharmacist. This page is general information, not medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.
Speak to a physician licensed in Ontario by phone for a flat $82, with no health card needed. A doctor could call you in as little as 10 minutes.
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