MORGANTOWN – West Virginia pharmacists could be granted a limited authority to write prescriptions under a bill working its way through the state Senate.
The Senate Government Organization Committee gave its blessing to SB 526 on Monday morning and it heads to the Senate floor.
The bill is called the Pharmacist Prescribing Authority Act, “to authorize pharmacists to practice the full extent of their education and training to prescribe low-risk medications to patients.”
It would allow prescribing of drugs for conditions that do not require a new diagnosis; are “minor and generally self limiting”; have a diagnostic test that is waived under federal guidelines as “simple laboratory examinations and procedures that have an insignificant risk of an erroneous result,”’ or are patient emergencies in the pharmacist’s professonal judgment.
This was the second committee to review the bill and discussion was minimal.
Krista Capehart, state Board of Pharmacy director of professional and regulatory affairs, told the senators that this bill or something similar is in play in 24 states.
In answer to a question about liability, she said pharmacists carry medical malpractice insurance based on the type of pharmacy they work for and the type of services provided.
The Senate Health Committee previously took up and approved the bill on Feb. 20. Health chair Laura Chapman, R-Ohio, is the bill’s lead sponsor.
The bill saw more hashing over in Health, with Capehart fielding a series of questions.
While the bill doesn’t define “minor and generally self limiting,” she said it refers to a condition that would heal on its own but a prescription could accelerate healing. If the condition doesn’t resolve within a certain period, the patient would be required to see a physician or advanced practice provider.
She cited the recent southern West Virginia floods as an example of a situation where a pharmacist prescription would be helpful for a condition that doesn’t require a new diagnosis. The floods washed away half of a pharmacy, and the patients can’t get refills at nearby pharmacies because the ruined one has the prescriptions.
Capehart also cited a coule examples of emergencies. In one case, the patient went into anaphylaxis and she happened to know the patient had a prescription for an epinephrine pen, so she was able to grab one and administer it. West Virginia has no such provision, she said.
In another case, a patient suffered an asthma attack but the pharmacist had no authority to administer an inhaler, and the patient was lost.
On a question about situations where it might be necessary to know a patient’s medical history, Capehart said many pharmacies are connected to health system electronic medical records.
Capehart also appreciated a question about potential perks or kickbacks for recommending certain drugs. She said pharmaceutical representatives don’t eave samples at pharmacies. They might stop by to let the pharmacist know they visited area providers so the pharmacy can stock new drugs, or to drop off informational brochures.
Provisions already exist, she said, for pharmacies to charge point-of-care fees for providing services of this type.
Both committees approved the bill in voice votes with no audible objections.
