New CPhA toolkit supports inclusive sexual and reproductive health care for transgender and gender-diverse communities

The Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) has launched a new open-access toolkit to support pharmacists in providing inclusive, evidence-informed sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care for transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals.

Building on CPhA's core SRH toolkit for pharmacists, launched in 2023, the expanded collection provides practical guidance and resources to help pharmacists confidently deliver respectful, affirming and patient-centred sexual and reproductive health care to transgender and gender-diverse individuals.

"As pharmacists continue to play an expanding role in sexual and reproductive health care, it’s important that they have access to resources that support inclusive and affirming practice," said Dr. Sadaf Faisal, CPhA’s Chief Pharmacist Officer. "This toolkit provides practical, evidence-informed guidance to help pharmacists confidently support the SRH needs of transgender and gender-diverse individuals at the pharmacy."

Transgender and gender-diverse individuals can face unique sexual and reproductive health needs and may encounter barriers when accessing care. The toolkit was developed to help pharmacists strengthen their knowledge, skills and confidence in supporting TGD patients through inclusive, trauma-informed and evidence-based care.

The toolkit includes:

• Learning modules available through CPhA Learning
• Resources to support inclusive pharmacy environments and workflows
• Clinical practice tools and counselling supports
• Downloadable patient education materials and handouts
• Practical guidance to support affirming communication and care practices

Available in both English and French, the toolkit is intended for pharmacists and pharmacy teams across all practice settings.

The toolkit was developed under the guidance of a Working Advisory Group comprised of experts in transgender and gender-diverse health, sexual and reproductive health, pharmacy practice and individuals with lived experience. CPhA also conducted focus groups with pharmacists and transgender and gender-diverse individuals to help identify knowledge gaps and inform the development of practical, evidence-based resources for pharmacy practice.

CPhA developed the toolkit as part of the Contraception and Abortion Research Team (CART) Access 3.0 project, with funding from Health Canada's Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund.

An additional toolkit focused on supporting culturally safe sexual and reproductive health care for Indigenous, including Two-Spirit individuals is also in development and will be launched this fall.