If a drug is not on the formulary, can I still get it?

A medicine that is not on a formulary can still sometimes be obtained, but missing from the list is not the same as cannot be prescribed, and it is not the same as will be paid for. A formulary is a coverage list. A medicine that is missing from it may still be prescribed if it is otherwise appropriate; the difference is often who pays and whether an exception, limited coverage, or special authority process applies. References: https://www.caddra.ca/provincial-and-federal-public-formulary-overview/ https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/practitioner-professional-resources/pharmacare/prescribers/special-authority

I still picked the prescription up even when my plan made a fuss about the list. The pharmacy wanted a different conversation than the clinic did. I paid more than I liked for a stretch and felt stupid for not understanding the paperwork. A friend on another plan had no issue with the same name on the bottle. I did not switch anything on my own. I just kept asking who owned the form. This is only my mess, not a reason to assume your plan will behave the same.