Pharmacy Practice Alert: Mandated Dispensing, Understaffed & Investigated
Thou Shall Dispense or Face a Judge
The Ohio House recently passed House Bill 73, now in the Ohio Senate, that mandates “A pharmacist shall dispense…” and limits pharmacist access to testing, screening, exposure or even an illness. More concerning, controlled substances are not exempt. Cloaked as an off-label use protection, House Bill 73 would make it a crime to not dispense a prescription, even a controlled substance, when used for off-label purposes. It mandates a first-come/first served basis making it illegal for pharmacists to reserve medication under conditions of scarcity, even for existing patients with life-threatening illnesses. OPA was the first to oppose this legislation in the Ohio House and will aggressively seek to kill the Bill in the Ohio Senate. Support OPA advocacy efforts to stop this Bill by donating to the OPA Legislative Defense Fund or the OPA Political Action Committee - DONATE NOW
Understaffed, Over Worked and Under Investigation by Board of Pharmacy
Recently, the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy cited numerous violations of a chain pharmacy at various locations across Ohio. These first of their kind reports focused on poor working environments for pharmacists and technicians. The workloads and conditions are so extreme, it calls into question the ability of a pharmacist to safely perform their legal requirements and causes risk to patient safety. Additionally, missing controlled substances and questionable billing practices were cited within the reports. OPA’s purpose is that “The Association shall be a professional society of pharmacists serving the best interests of public health and pharmacy in the State of Ohio”. OPA will be working directly with the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy to protect the public and our profession.
