Standard request for Pharmacare coverage of an exception status drug when no specialized form applies.
- Completed by
- Prescriber
- Issued by
- NS Pharmacare Programs (Health and Wellness)
- Format
- Fillable PDF
- Language
- English
Nova Scotia Pharmacare ESD Requests via Ocean
Prescribers who have an Ocean account can send Nova Scotia Pharmacare exception status drug requests online through the Pharmacare ESD Pilot, instead of faxing or mailing a PDF form. Exception status drugs are covered only when the patient meets criteria developed by the Atlantic or Canadian Expert Advisory Committees. Nova Scotia's Provider Digital Health Toolkit has the details of the pilot.
Who completes it
The requesting prescriber completes the whole e-form in Ocean; the pilot is available to providers who have an Ocean account.
Submitting and payment
- How to submit it
- Submit the request online through Ocean; providers without Ocean can still mail or fax the standard or specialized PDF form to Nova Scotia Pharmacare Programs.
Good to know
- Ocean is the only electronic submission option on Nova Scotia's exception status drugs page; other requests go by mail or fax on the PDF forms.
- The PDF route remains: Nova Scotia lists a standard request plus specialized forms grouped into categories such as arthritis, diabetes, migraines, multiple sclerosis and skin disorders.
- Coverage still depends on the published 'Criteria for coverage of exception status drugs: Pharmacare Programs', which lists drugs Pharmacare may approve when patients meet specific criteria.
- Nova Scotia warns that exception status drug forms may be added or changed at any time; its official form feed lists 59 forms, including the standard request.
Get the official form
Download the current version from the source each time; forms change without notice.
Pharmacare Exception Status Drug (ESD) request via Ocean (ESD Pilot)
Get the note ready with Vero
NS Pharmacare Programs (Health and Wellness) takes this form through its online services or your EMR, so there is no PDF to fill. Vero Scribe writes the visit note it draws on, so the details are ready when you complete it.
How this list is checked
A form is listed only after its name and number were confirmed on the issuing agency’s or insurer’s own website, or in the form itself. Each entry links to that source. The list was last checked in October 2026. Forms change without notice, so download the current version from the official page before you fill it in.
Vero is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the agencies and insurers listed here. Read our editorial policy.
Frequently asked questions
Who can use the Nova Scotia Pharmacare ESD Pilot?
Providers with an Ocean account. Nova Scotia's exception status drugs page says these providers can send exception status drug requests online through Ocean, and it directs them to the Nova Scotia Provider Digital Health Toolkit for more information about the pilot.
Are the PDF exception status drug forms still accepted in Nova Scotia?
Yes. Healthcare providers can still request coverage with the Standard Exception Status Drug Request Form or a specialized form, returned to Nova Scotia Pharmacare Programs by mail or fax. The Ocean route is an additional option for providers with an Ocean account, not a replacement.
What is a Nova Scotia exception status drug?
A drug that Nova Scotia Pharmacare Programs covers only when the patient meets criteria developed by the Atlantic or Canadian Expert Advisory Committees. The criteria are published in 'Criteria for coverage of exception status drugs: Pharmacare Programs', which lists the drugs Pharmacare may approve and the conditions for each.