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Alberta Prescription Forgeries Rise in First Half of 2026
The Alberta College of Pharmacy recorded 132 forgeries from January through June, up from 149 for all of 2025. Calgary police logged 35 fraud attempts, 25 percent above the prior full-year total, while pharmacists described more sophisticated tactics targeting narcotics.
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The Alberta College of Pharmacy stated there has been a continued trend of increased forgery attempts across Alberta in the first half of 2026. Cbc reported that the college documented 132 prescription forgeries during that period, compared with 149 for all of 2025 and 188 in 2024. The college previously recorded a peak of 343 forgeries in 2019.
Calgary Police Service received 35 reports of attempted prescription fraud in the first half of 2026, 25 percent more than the total for all of 2025. Prescription drugs were dispensed in 18 of those cases. Edmonton Police Service received 13 reports between January and April.
Health Canada received 13 reports involving prescription forgeries in Alberta from January to mid-June 2026, nearly double the seven reports it received for all of 2025. The agency recorded 22 reports in both 2023 and 2024, 18 in 2022 and 15 in 2021. Seven of the 2026 reports came from Calgary and three from Edmonton.
Wessam Sakr, co-owner of Edgemont Family Pharmacy in Calgary, said forgeries have become a more frequent and sophisticated issue. He noted that many arrive by fax or on stolen pads from Alberta’s Tracked Prescription Program and that verifying them consumes staff time.
Mohamed Elfishawi, owner of Terwillegar and Terra Losa pharmacies in Edmonton, said forgeries target oxycodone, OxyContin and fentanyl derivatives.
He stated that the attempts appear linked to organized crime and sometimes use innocent people’s Alberta health care numbers. The Alberta College of Pharmacy urged pharmacy teams to report forgery attempts to local law enforcement. Calgary and Edmonton police issued similar calls, noting that delayed reporting hinders investigations.
