The Pharmaceutical Act, The Regulated Health Professions Act and The Public Health Act are amended as follows. Pharmaceutical Act Amendments are made to authorize a pharmacist to prescribe a substitute drug if it has the same therapeutic effect as a drug originally prescribed by another health care practitioner. The health care practitioner that issued the original prescription or the patient may instruct a pharmacist not to make a therapeutic substitution. Regulated Health Professions Act Amendments are made to enable colleges and associations that regulate health professions to amalgamate. An amalgamation may be requested by a college or association or initiated by the minister. The minister initiates the amalgamation process by making an order appointing a first council of the amalgamated college and, if necessary, appointing an administrator to assist with the amalgamation. The regulation to continue the pre-amalgamation colleges and associations as an amalgamated college must be made by the Lieutenant Governor in Council. Amendments are also made to an unproclaimed Part of the Act to reflect the amendments made to The Pharmaceutical Act. Public Health Act Amendments are made to clarify that a detention order may be varied on application by a public health official or the detained person. In addition, a request by a public health official to extend the duration of a detention order is to be heard by a provincial court judge rather than a judge of the Court of King's Bench.