Innovations-Magazine-NovDec-2023 - 18

STATE BOARD NEWS
North Carolina DHHS Issues
Xylazine Exposure Guidance
Xylazine, a veterinary sedative that is not
approved for human use, is being increasingly
found as a component of drug products
sold in the illicit opioid trade. The North
Carolina Department of Health and Human
Services (DHHS) has issued a comprehensive
guidance on xylazine, its use, symptoms
of xylazine use, treatment modalities, and
additional patient information resources. The
guidance can be found on the North Carolina
Board of Pharmacy's website. Read more in
the Board's July 2023 Newsletter.
Washington Adopts New Language
for Retired Active Pharmacist
License Status Rule
The Washington State Pharmacy Quality
Assurance Commission adopted a new
permanent rule under Washington State
Register 23-07-058 on March 9, 2023.
The new rule language for Washington
Administrative Code (WAC) 246-945-171
Retired Active Pharmacist License Status
allows pharmacists with a retired active
pharmacist license status to practice pharmacy
on an intermittent or emergent basis. The
emergency rule for this issue has been in effect
since February 1, 2021, but was rescinded
when the permanent rule went into effect
on April 9, 2023. In 2020, the Commission
updated and consolidated all rules under its
authority into one new chapter (Chapter
246-945 WAC). In this rewrite process, the
previous section of the rule regarding the
retired active pharmacist license was removed,
effective July 1, 2020, as the retired active
pharmacist status at the time did not allow
for the practice of pharmacy in any capacity
and was deemed unnecessary. The new rule
is different from the previous version in
that it allows practice on an emergency or
intermittent basis. More information about
the rule is available in the Commission's
July 2023 Newsletter.
Louisiana Amends Rules for Partial
Fills of CDS Prescriptions
The Louisiana Board of Pharmacy has
completed rulemaking for Regulatory Project
2022-09 - Partial Fills of CDS Prescriptions
with publication of the rule changes in
16 | NOV/DEC 2023
the Louisiana Register, with an immediate
effective date. Regulatory Project 2022-09 -
Partial Fills of CDS Prescriptions amended
Section 2735 and 2747 of rules relative
to prescriptions for controlled dangerous
substances (CDS). The change in Section
2735 places a requirement on pharmacies
dispensing prescriptions for CDS to use a
dispensing information system capable of
accurately recording partial fills and refills of
such prescriptions. Meanwhile, the change
in Section 2747 places a requirement on
a pharmacist to dispense a partial fill of a
prescription for a CDS when requested
by the patient or prescriber, subject to
the pharmacist's obligation relative to
corresponding responsibility. Learn more
about Louisiana's amended rules in the
Board's July 2023 Newsletter.
West Virginia Adds Donated Drug
Repository Rules to Allow Drugs to
Be Dispensed to Eligible Patients
During the 2023 West Virginia Legislative
Session, a new process was added to the West
Virginia Code of State Rules §15-20. The rules
create a donated drug repository where drugs
can be donated to be dispensed to eligible
patients. Dispensed drugs can be given to
" [a] pharmacy, hospital, wholesaler, reverse
distributor, federally qualified health center,
nonprofit clinic, healthcare facility, an entity
participating in a drug donation or repository
program pursuant to another state's law, or
healthcare professional that is otherwise legally
authorized to possess prescription drugs may
become an eligible recipient for a period of one
year by giving written notice to the board. "
Eligible patients who may receive the donated
medications include indigent patients, who
are defined as " a patient whose income is at
or below the income eligibility requirements
of the West Virginia Medicaid program, or
who is uninsured, underinsured, or enrolled in
a public assistance health benefits program. "
Prescription drugs can be donated to the
program only if they will not expire before the
completion of the medication by the eligible
patient based on the prescribing health care
professional's directions for use. Over-thecounter
drugs can be donated only if they will
not expire before use by the eligible patient
based on the manufacturer's label, and all
drugs must be donated in unopened tamperevident
packaging as defined by United States
Pharmacopeia General Chapter <659> Packing
and Storage Requirements. Additional details
about the West Virginia Board of Pharmacy's
rules implemented during the 2023 West
Virginia Legislative Session can be found in
the Board's July 2023 Newsletter.
Mississippi Requires Medical
Cannabis to Be Reported to the PMP
The Mississippi Board of Pharmacy requires
medical cannabis to be reported to the
prescription monitoring program (PMP).
Even though the PMP was designed for
prescription medications, it has been
enabled to accommodate the reporting
requirements of the MS Cannabis Program.
Cannabis dispensaries are listed under the
pharmacy section of the PMP. Health care
professionals who are certified to handle
cannabis have a unique Mississippi Cannabis
Number that is different from their National
Provider Identifier and Drug Enforcement
Administration numbers.
Most articles published in State Board News are selected
from the newsletters of state boards that participate in
the NABP State Newsletter Program. Issues are posted on
the NABP website on each participating state's page.
https://nabp.pharmacy/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/July-2023-West-Virginia-State-Newsletter.pdf http://http:// https://nabp.pharmacy/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/July-2023-North-Carolina-State-Newsletter.pdf https://nabp.pharmacy/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/July-2023-Louisiana-State-Newsletter.pdf https://nabp.pharmacy/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/July-2023-Washington-State-Newsletter.pdf
Innovations-Magazine-NovDec-2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Innovations-Magazine-NovDec-2023
