Pharmacy

Analyzing Colorado Pharmacist 2014 Disciplinary Actions: Controlled Substances, Red Flags and Pharmacist Corresponding Responsibility

Baer Law recently completed an analysis of thirty-three (33) separate 2014 disciplinary cases against Colorado pharmacists by the Colorado State Board of Pharmacy (Board). Certain cases, especially those involving controlled substance dispensing errors and pharmacists dispensing controlled substances when no valid patient-prescriber relationship existed, should be of particular interest to all licensed Colorado pharmacists. Out…

Colorado Pharmacy Legislation Update: Modifying the PDMP

HB14-1283: Modify Prescription Drug Monitoring Program HB14-1283 modifies the electronic prescription drug monitoring as follows: The dissemination of automatic reports to prescribers and pharmacies when a patient meets a defined threshold that takes into account the number of prescribers and pharmacies visited within a certain timeframe. Reports started in September 2014. Allows a prescribing practitioner…

University to Install Prescription Drug Vending Machine on Campus

Arizona State University (ASU) in Tempe, Arizona, is installing a vending machine for prescription medications after the closure of its on-campus pharmacy two months ago. Minneapolis-based InstyMeds will reportedly start dispensing medications in the ASU Health Service Building within a couple of weeks. ASU would be only the second university to get an InstyMeds machine, which…

California Bilingual Prescription Label Update

How often are pharmacy prescription label instructions translated incorrectly? Should pharmacists who are fluent only in English be required to fill prescriptions with instructions in a foreign language? Who counsels the non-English speaking patients regarding their prescription(s) and/or side effects of the medication(s)? Who is ultimately liable for the incorrect translated instructions in the event…

Georgia Board of Pharmacy Requiring Non-Resident Pharmacy Licensure

Until recently, the State of Georgia did not require non-resident pharmacies to obtain a license to ship medications into the State of Georgia. However, at the Georgia Board of Pharmacy’s (GBOP) September 2014 meeting, the GBOP enacted rules requiring non-resident pharmacies to obtain a non-resident pharmacy license before dispensing medications into the State of Georgia.…

Pharmacists Must Ensure Prescription Orders are Issued for a Legitimate Medical Purpose by an Authorized Prescriber and Have a Recognized Medical Utility or Application

As discussed previously on the Baer Law Blog, corresponding responsibility remains one of the most misunderstood or unknown concepts found in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) regulations. The DEA’s regulations (21 CFR 1306.04) regarding corresponding responsibility state: A prescription for a controlled substance to be effective must be issued for a legitimate medical purpose by an…

Countdown to October 6, 2014: Hydrocodone Containing Product Reclassification

As discussed previously here on the Baer Law Blog, after more than a decade of debate, hydrocodone containing products (HCPs) are being reclassified from Schedule III to the more restrictive Schedule II controlled substances category starting October 6, 2014. HCPs are the most prescribed drug in the United States, second only to levothyroxine, a thyroid…

Notice to Florida Licensed Non-Resident Pharmacies

Beginning October 1, 2014, Florida requires all non-resident pharmacies to obtain a Nonresident Sterile Compounding Permit in order to ship, mail, deliver or dispense in any manner, a compounded sterile product into the State of Florida. Nonresident pharmacies that are compounding sterile products under their current Florida pharmacy permit may continue to do so if:…

Updated Controlled Substances Disposal Requirements: Effective October 9, 2014

Historically, under the Controlled Substance Act (CSA), patients could only dispose of unused controlled substances themselves or deliver the controlled substances to law enforcement officials. In October 2010, the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act (Disposal Act) of 2010 was enacted with the goal of facilitating more convenient and secure disposal options. The Disposal Act…

Disposing of Unused Controlled Substances: DEA Expands Prescription Drug Take-Back

In early October, disposing of unused medications, including controlled substances, will likely get much easier as the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is expanding the options to collect medications with the hopes that the rule expansion will discourage individuals from simply flushing drugs down the toilet, throwing drugs away or leaving drugs in medicine cabinets. With…