Online Prescription Refill in Burnaby, British Columbia

Yes, in many cases. If your medication is already prescribed, stable, and non-controlled, a TelePlus Care doctor can review it by secure video or phone while you are in Burnaby and send a refill to your chosen pharmacy when it is clinically appropriate. If the medication needs testing, monitoring or an in-person exam first, the doctor will tell you and point you to the safest next step.

Controlled substances are never prescribed or refilled through a routine online visit. Under Health Canada and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, that includes opioids and other narcotics, benzodiazepines such as those used for sleep or anxiety, and ADHD stimulants. Online renewal is also not suitable for brand-new conditions, or for medications that require urgent bloodwork, vital signs or a physical exam before it is safe to continue them.

Often, yes. Since June 1, 2023, British Columbia pharmacists can renew or adapt many ongoing non-controlled prescriptions and prescribe for certain minor ailments and contraception, under the Province of BC's Minor Ailments and Contraception Service. It is worth asking your Burnaby pharmacy first. When a pharmacist cannot help, because refills have lapsed, the dose needs changing, or there are new symptoms, a doctor can review it online.

Under the College of Pharmacists of BC, a written prescription is generally valid for up to two years from the date it was written, unless your prescriber added a 'do not renew/adapt' notation. If yours has expired, or the original refills have run out, a licensed doctor can review whether it is safe to renew and issue a fresh prescription when that is appropriate for your situation.

No. TelePlus Care virtual refill visits are a private, paid service and are not billed to British Columbia's Medical Services Plan (MSP). The fee is confirmed at booking and covers the doctor's medication review. Your medication itself is filled through your pharmacy as usual, where your regular drug coverage, whether PharmaCare or private insurance, still applies.

Yes. You can book directly with TelePlus Care for a focused refill review without a referral. Many people in Burnaby are still on BC's Health Connect Registry, waiting to be matched with a family physician or nurse practitioner. A virtual refill can bridge that gap for a stable medication, but keep your place on the registry, since ongoing conditions are best managed by a consistent prescriber over time.

This service is not for emergencies. If you have chest pain, severe shortness of breath, fainting, confusion, a severe allergic reaction, or thoughts of self-harm, call 911 or go to the Emergency Department at Burnaby Hospital on Kincaid Street. For non-urgent health questions at any hour, you can speak with a registered nurse through HealthLink BC by dialing 811.

Whichever one you choose. The prescription can be sent to a chain, grocery-store, independent or delivery pharmacy anywhere in Burnaby, near Metrotown, Brentwood, Lougheed, Edmonds or your campus. Because BC pharmacies share PharmaNet, your medication history stays consistent wherever you fill it. Have your current bottle or a recent label ready so the name, strength and directions match, and ask the pharmacy about pickup timing.

TelePlus Care is a private virtual clinic, so visits are not billed to Medical Services Plan (MSP) — you pay a flat visit fee and there is no wait-list or referral needed. Our doctors are licensed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia (CPSBC) to care for patients in British Columbia. For publicly insured, non-urgent advice you can also call HealthLink BC (811).

Choose from the current TelePlus Care appointment times shown in the booking form — no roster, referral, or wait-list is required. Same-day options may be available, but availability changes with clinician capacity and demand; the earliest selectable time is at least two hours after booking. You connect with a Canadian licensed doctor by phone or secure video from home, and when appropriate a prescription is sent to your preferred Burnaby pharmacy.

In British Columbia, pharmacists can renew or adapt an existing non-controlled prescription for continuity of care using their professional judgment, for whatever duration they consider appropriate, as long as it does not exceed the prescription's expiry (prescriptions are generally valid for up to two years from the date written, unless the prescriber added a "do not renew/adapt" notation). When a renewal is not appropriate — for example, the prescription is expired or the pharmacist lacks enough information — the pharmacist may instead provide a short-term emergency supply for continuity of care in exceptional circumstances. (Source: College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (PPP-58 & PPP-31).)

Because care is virtual, TelePlus Care serves patients across British Columbia, including Burnaby, Campbell River, Chilliwack, Coquitlam, and Courtenay, and other communities — anywhere in the province with a phone or internet connection.

Follow Us on Instagram