PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
(Board of Pharmacy)
Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 246-869-220 Patient counseling required.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 18.64.005(7).
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The board would like to increase compliance with the patient counseling rule. The board is considering requiring pharmacies to post a sign in the pharmacy to inform patients that pharmacists must provide patient counseling on new prescriptions and as needed on refill prescriptions. Increasing compliance with this rule will promote public health and safety by assuring that patients receive important information about their medications.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: State/federal medication assistance programs also require counseling on new prescriptions. Representatives of these agencies will be invited to participate in rule-making process.
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 by contacting Lisa Salmi, Department of Health, Board of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 47863, Olympia, WA 98504-7863, Lisa.Salmi@doh.wa.gov, phone (360) 236-4828, fax (360) 586-4359. Information on public meetings can be obtained from Lisa Salmi, Board of Pharmacy.
July 1, 2003
D. H. Williams
Executive Director