Innovations-Magazine-June-July-2022 - 12

ASSOCIATION NEWS
Work Group Recommends Significant Changes to State
Approach to Pharmacy Regulation
Members of the Work Group to Consider
Extending Waivers evaluated measures taken
by states during the coronavirus disease
2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to identify
those that could be made permanent to
improve patient care and public health.
The work group reviewed and discussed
various provisions that had been waived by
the boards of pharmacy since the beginning
of the COVID-19 pandemic, which were
divided into three categories: those that
should be permitted in all circumstances,
those that should be considered under
special or unusual health circumstances,
and those that should be considered under
a declared emergency. The work group also
recommended changes to the Model State
Pharmacy Act and Model Rules of the National
Association of Boards of Pharmacy to ensure
that the work group's recommendations
were incorporated wherever possible.
The work group looked at emergency
dispensing and medication refills, examining
the differences between them. After detailed
discussion about what might be considered
an emergency and whether controlled
substances should be dispensed under such
situations, the work group heard from work
group members from the Virgin Islands and
Puerto Rico, who shared their experiences
with hurricanes that significantly disrupted
life in certain regions. Ultimately, members
unanimously agreed that emergency
dispensing should be allowed when the
prescriber cannot be contacted, and the
immediate needs of the patient must be
met to prevent unnecessary harm and
suffering. The work group also decided
that emergency dispensing should only be
allowed when special or unusual public
health circumstances or concerns occur.
Four* provisions were identified by the work
group as waivers that should be allowed
under unusual public health circumstances,
such as drug shortages. These included
emergency dispensing of medication to
10 | JUNE/JULY 2022
prevent unnecessary harm and suffering;
permitting nonresident, licensed members
of the supply chain to practice, provided
they have a state license in good standing;
and extending licensure expiration dates.
The work group also unanimously
agreed that states should take action
to expand pharmacists' and pharmacy
technicians' scope of practice. They
determined that five* additional
waivers should be extended under
all circumstances, including remote
prescription processing and verification
outside of a licensed pharmacy, use of
patient-accessible automated pharmacy
systems, and relaxation of in-person
counseling requirements and allowance
of alternative forms of counseling that
are in the patient's best interest. Another
important recommendation was that
pharmacists should be able to provide
emergency refills in all circumstances.
Finally, four* additional provisions
were recommended for consideration
only during a declared emergency. These
included allowing nonresident practitioners
to practice, if approved through NABP
Emergency Passport; the waiver of
requirements for electronic prescribing and
acceptance of paper prescriptions, if not
restricted by federal law; and the waiver
of requirements for the presentation of
identification and signatures for the receipt
of drugs, if not restricted by federal law.
The Work Group to Consider Extending
Waivers was established in response to
Resolution 117-2-21, which was approved
by the NABP membership during the
Association's 117th
Annual Meeting,
held virtually in May 2021. Work group
members included:
* Traci Collier, PharmD, RPh, chair;
* Erick Axcell, PharmD, RPh;
* Michael Blaire, RPh, FIACP;
* Jennifer Chin, RPh, BCGP;
* Cynthia " Cindy " Fain, PD;
* Laura Forbes, RPh;
* Mark Klang, MS, PhD, RPh, BCNSP;
* Tamara McCants, PharmD, RPh;
* Eileen Ortega, RPh;
* David " Dave " Rochefort, RPh;
* Lorri Walmsley, RPh, FAzPA;
* Cathy Winters, RPh; and
* Fred M. Weaver, RPh, Executive
Committee liaison.
The work group report was approved
by the Executive Committee during
its December 2021 meeting and is
available in the Reports section at
www.nabp.pharmacy/resources.
*All provisions and waivers identified by
the task force are included in the report.
Work Group Charge
1. Review all provisions waived by the state boards of pharmacy during the
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency.
2. Advise which waivers, if any, could safely remain in effect beyond the
COVID-19 public health emergency.
3. Amend, if necessary, the Model State Pharmacy Act and Model Rules
of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy to reflect the efforts
of this work group.
https://nabp.pharmacy/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Report-of-the-Work-Group-to-Consider-Extending-Waivers.pdf
Innovations-Magazine-June-July-2022

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