SS/SCS/SB 41 - This act modifies several provisions relating to the administration of medications by pharmacists. First, this act modifies the definition of a medication therapeutic plan by repealing language defining it by the prescription order so long as the prescription order is specific to each patient for care by a pharmacist. This act also repeals language from current law defining the practice of pharmacy as including the administration of specific vaccines by written physician protocol for specific patients and adds language defining the practice of pharmacy as including the ordering and administering of certain FDA-approved or authorized vaccines to persons at least 7 years of age or the CDC-approved age, whichever is older, pursuant to rules promulgated by the Board of Pharmacy and the Board of Registration for the Healing Arts or rules promulgated under a state of emergency. Under current law, any pharmacist who accepts a prescription order for a medication therapeutic plan shall have a written protocol from the referring physician. This act repeals this provision and permits a pharmacist with a certificate of medication therapeutic plan authority to provide medication therapy services pursuant to a written physician protocol to patients with an established physician-patient relationship with the protocol physician.
Under this act, a licensed pharmacist may order and administer vaccines approved or authorized by the FDA to address a public health need, as authorized by the state or federal government, during a state or federally-declared public health emergency.
Finally, a pharmacist with a certificate of medication therapeutic plan authority may provide influenza, group A streptococcus, and COVID-19 medication therapy services pursuant to a statewide standing order issued by the Director of the Department of Health and Senior Services or a physician licensed by the Department.
This act is identical to provisions in the truly agreed to and finally passed SS/HCS/HBs 115 & 99 (2023), the truly agreed to and finally passed CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 157 (2023), the truly agreed to and finally passed CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SBs 45 & 90 (2023), and SCS/HCS/HBs 117, 343, & 1091 (2023) and substantially similar to provisions in HCS/HB 2452 (2022), SB 1126 (2022), and HCS/SS/SB 690 (2022).
SARAH HASKINS