Strep throat testing available in 11 more Sask. pharmacies

The Ministry of Health announced 11 more pharmacies will be able to test people for strep throat and ear infections through an expansion of scope pilot project first launched in January.

Now that official training has been completed, nine of the pharmacies can conduct one-stop testing for strep throat; two more will be able to test starting in January 2026. That will mean 22 locations in the province can test for the bacterial infection.

Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill made the announcement from a pharmacy in Warman, Sask.

“This is a great opportunity to really expand what can be done in a pharmacy from a primary care sense so that people can stay closer to home,” Cockrill said.

“People have quicker access. I mean, you think about being able to come to a pharmacist and get an ear infection or a strep throat assessment in 15 or 20 minutes. As a young parent myself, that sounds a lot better than sitting in an emergency room.”

Pharmacists at these locations have been trained to assess symptoms, perform rapid testing for strep throat, and determine appropriate treatment options, including prescribing medication.

All of these accredited pharmacies can also test for ear infections. An additional 24 pharmacies are only able to test for ear infections at this point.

Cockrill said Saskatchewan pharmacists were first granted the authority to prescribe for minor ailments in 2012, starting with three conditions: minor acne, cold sores and insect bites. The list has since increased to more than 31 minor ailments. 

“We recognize that the pharmacists in our province, they’re highly trained, they’re trusted professionals in their community,” Cockrill said.

“In many places, a pharmacy is the main place of access for people … Everything we do in healthcare needs to be about more options and more access to care.”

The latest pharmacies added to the strep testing list are located in Regina, Saskatoon, Warman, Weyburn, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Emerald Park and Swift Current.

Pharmacies that were already on the list are located in Biggar, Foam Lake, Humboldt, Kindersley, Meadow Lake, Melfort, Outlook, Stoughton and Yorkton.

Nearly 1,300 pharmacists are practising in more than 430 licensed community pharmacies in Saskatchewan. The province says more than 3,000 people have been tested for strep throat, and more than 1,000 for suspected ear infections since the project began.