WSR 16-01-156 PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission) [Filed December 21, 2015, 2:43 p.m.]
Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 246-869-105 Continuity of care refills in proclaimed emergencies, the pharmacy quality assurance commission (commission) is considering establishing a new rule to allow licensed pharmacists to provide temporary prescription refills to patients whose usual pharmacy access is disrupted during a governor-proclaimed emergency event.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: WAC 246-869-100 allows pharmacists to provide up to a seventy-two hour emergency prescription refill in certain circumstances, but does not address refills when patients are displaced from their homes or pharmacy services for longer periods during a major declared emergency such as an earthquake, flood, wildfire, or other disaster. The commission is considering adopting a rule to allow temporary prescription refills of legend drugs and certain controlled substances for patients displaced from their homes or usual pharmacies during an event resulting in a governor's emergency proclamation, when the pharmacist can determine that the prescription is current and that there are refills remaining.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.
Process for Developing New Rule: Collaborative rule making.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. Interested parties may participate in the development of draft rules prior to a formal proposal by providing input on draft and proposed rule language. Interested parties can receive information on how to participate by contacting Doreen Beebe, Program Manager, Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, e-mail wspqac@doh.wa.gov, phone (360) 236-4834, fax (360) 236-2260, or joining the commission's public rules listserv at http://listserv.wa.gov/cgi-bin/wa?A0=PQAC-RULES.
December 21, 2015
A. J. Linggi, R.Ph.
Chair
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