Petition To: The Legislative Assembly of Canada, Provincial Legislators and Provincial Pharmacy Regulators.

Pharmacists are highly trained healthcare professionals responsible for ensuring medication safety, efficient prescription processing, and quality patient care. A critical part of pharmacy practice is the software used to dispense medications, manage patient records, and process insurance claims. Pharmacists working in Corporately owned Pharmacies, signup with the understanding that they will use the software provided by the Corporation. Pharmacists who find themselves not compatible with the corporately owned Practice environment, often choose to become independents or seek other areas of practice.

Independent pharmacists choose independence because it allows them to customize their practice environment to best serve their patients. Unlike corporate pharmacists, independent pharmacy owners have traditionally been able to select the tools, workflows, and systems that align with their professional expertise and business needs. It allows them to finetune their practice to meet the needs of the communities they serve.

Mckesson Canada, is Canada’s leader in drug distribution with its clientele stretching from Hospitals, Corporate Chains like Costco as well as numerous Independents. Mckesson Canada also owns many retail banners which Include IDA, Guardian Pharmacies, Remedy’s Rx as well as The Medicine Shoppe Franchise.  Mckesson Canada also owns Pharmacy Technology Solutions, which Provides Many of its Retail Banners Pharmacy Software, Propel Rx and POS.

For years, Independent Pharmacists operating under McKesson-affiliated banners were able to choose their own preferred pharmacy software, which allowed them to:

1. Customize workflows to fit their practice style and patient needs.
2. Optimize dispensing processes to prevent errors and delays.
3. Integrate software that best suits their professional expertise and business operations.

Some of these Independent Pharmacists are now being mandated to use McKessons Proprietary Software, Propel Rx / POS despite the fact that:

• Many pharmacists initially opened their new pharmacies using software that suited their practice style and needs.
• Many of those who opened their stores with McKessons Proprietary Software were allowed to switch in the event they found it incompatible with their practice style. 

Many Independent Pharmacists are deeply concerned that McKesson’s new mandate removes the flexibility they previously had in choosing their pharmacy software and now requires them to transition to Propel Rx—a system that many pharmacists are not familiar with, do not trust, or do not prefer. Some pharmacists state they were never informed that this transition would become mandatory. Those who were allowed to switch from McKesson’s Proprietary Software are now being told to revert to it. This mandate significantly limits pharmacists' ability to tailor their workflows to their professional judgment and patient care need, 

Pharmacists entered into agreements with McKesson under the understanding that they had control over their pharmacy software. The recent mandate now requires them to use McKesson’s proprietary system, raising concerns about autonomy and workflow impact. Many pharmacists may have made different decisions about joining McKesson’s banners had they known that their software choices would be restricted in the future.

This isn’t just about whether Propel Rx is a good or bad system—it’s about the fundamental right of pharmacists to choose the tools that allow them to serve patients efficiently and safely.

 
Why This Matters

1. All Pharmacists work best with a Pharmacy Software they trust and are comfortable with. Just like a surgeon selects their instruments or a doctor chooses their medical tools, pharmacists should be able to use the software that enhances their ability to serve patients safely and efficiently.
2. Independent pharmacists thrive when they have control over their practice. They are not employees of a corporate chain—they are business owners who deserve the ability to make operational decisions that directly affect patient care.
3. A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work in pharmacy. Pharmacists customize their workflows based on their patient demographics, practice style, and years of experience. A software system that works for one pharmacist may not work for another. This is the number one reason why many Independent Pharmacists leave corporate environments. To be able to practice pharmacy in a way that works for them and the community they serve.
4. Forced software transitions disrupt patient care and increase risk. Mandating software changes leads to:

•  Longer prescription processing times
• Increased risk of medication errors
• Frustration among pharmacy staff and delays for patients

If PropelRx is truly the best system, All Independent pharmacists should adopt it voluntarily based on its merits.  If fact, many other Pharmacy chains would have adopted it but instead many Corporate Pharmacies use modified versions of Kroll as Kroll allows Pharmacists to Customize the Software to Meet their practice needs as well as regulatory standards set by the Regulators.

Independent Pharmacy Owners worry that this mandate could set a precedent for future restrictions on Independent Pharmacy Practice and Decision-Making, potentially impacting their ability to operate their Independent Pharmacies with professional autonomy. Independent Pharmacy Practice has always bee seen as a Professional Sanctuary for Pharmacists who cannot stand corporate pressures that have been highlighted in the news lately. 

A recent CBC investigation has already exposed how corporate pharmacy pressures have impacted working conditions and patient safety in some chain pharmacies. Now, pharmacists in independent settings are concerned that similar corporate-driven decisions could limit their ability to provide patient-centered care. [CBC News, 2024]

Our Demand: Guarantee all Pharmacists’ Professional Autonomy and allow Independent Pharmacists the Right to Choose Their Software

We call on the Government of Canada, provincial health ministers, and pharmacy regulators to take urgent action to:

1. Review whether corporate software mandates in independent pharmacy agreements align with professional autonomy and patient care priorities
2. Affirm the right of independent pharmacists to choose their pharmacy software based on their practice needs, provided it meets regulatory and patient safety standards.
3. Guarantee the Professional Autonomy of all Pharmacists so they can exercise their professional judgment in determining which services best serve their patients, without external pressures that could conflict with patient care priorities.
4.  Prevent corporations from imposing software mandates that override Independent Pharmacists’ autonomy and compromise workflow efficiency that they have customized for so many years and have become accustomed to.
5.  Review restrictive agreements that limit pharmacists’ professional autonomy and ability to provide safe and efficient service

This is not just a software issue—it’s about protecting the professional independence of Pharmacists who are also frontline healthcare providers. it’s about protecting the independence of pharmacy professionals who are small business owners; it's about keeping Independent Pharmacy practice as a Professional Sanctuary or Alternative for Pharmacists whose practice don't fit corporate environments. If large corporations can dictate pharmacy technology choices for independent Pharmacy owners, what’s stopping them from further exerting control on all other aspects of independent pharmacy practice.