BILL REQ. #:  H-0673.1 

Read first time 01/18/2005.   Referred to Committee on Health Care.

     AN ACT Relating to reimportation of prescription drugs; amending RCW 18.64.350 and 18.64.360; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that as consumers' prescription drug costs continue to rise, people across the state of Washington are exercising the option to purchase prescription drugs from Canada for their personal use. The state has a strong interest in the safety of drugs purchased through this mechanism. To address this interest, the legislature intends to authorize the state board of pharmacy to regulate nonresident Canadian pharmacies.

Sec. 2   RCW 18.64.350 and 1991 c 87 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The legislature finds and declares that the practice of pharmacy is a dynamic, patient-oriented health service that applies a scientific body of knowledge to improve and promote patient health by means of appropriate drug use and drug-related therapy.
     (2) The legislature recognizes that with the proliferation of alternate methods of health delivery, there has arisen among third- party payors and insurance companies the desire to control the cost and utilization of pharmacy services through a variety of mechanisms, including the use of mail-order pharmacies located outside the state of Washington.
     (3) As a result, the legislature finds and declares that to continue to protect the Washington consumer-patient, all out-of-state pharmacies, including those located in Canada, that provide services to Washington residents shall be licensed by the department of health, disclose specific information about their services, and provide pharmacy services at a high level of protection and competence.

Sec. 3   RCW 18.64.360 and 1996 c 109 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) For the purposes of this chapter any pharmacy located outside this state that ships, mails, or delivers, in any manner, except when delivered in person to an individual, controlled substances, legend drugs, or devices into this state is a nonresident pharmacy, and shall be licensed by the department of health, and shall disclose to the department the following:
     (a) The location, names, and titles of all owners including corporate officers and all pharmacists employed by the pharmacy who are dispensing controlled substances, legend drugs, or devices to residents of this state. A report containing this information shall be made on an annual basis and within ninety days after a change of location, corporate officer, or pharmacist;
     (b) Proof of compliance with all lawful directions and requests for information from the regulatory or licensing agency of the state or Canadian province in which it is licensed as well as with all requests for information made by the department of health under this section. The nonresident pharmacy shall maintain, at all times, a valid unexpired license, permit, or registration to operate the pharmacy in compliance with the laws of the state or Canadian province in which it is located. As a prerequisite to be licensed by the department of health, the nonresident pharmacy shall submit a copy of the most recent inspection report issued by the regulatory licensing agency of the state or Canadian province in which it is located;
     (c) Proof that it maintains its records of controlled substances, legend drugs, or devices dispensed to patients in this state so that the records are readily retrievable from the records of other drugs dispensed.
     (2) Any pharmacy subject to this section shall, during its regular hours of operation, provide a toll-free telephone service to facilitate communication between patients in this state and a pharmacist at the pharmacy who has access to the patient's records. This toll-free number shall be disclosed on the label affixed to each container of drugs dispensed to patients in this state.
     (3) A pharmacy subject to this section shall comply with board rules regarding the maintenance and use of patient medication record systems.
     (4) A pharmacy subject to this section shall comply with board of pharmacy rules regarding the provision of drug information to the patient. Drug information may be contained in written form setting forth directions for use and any additional information necessary to assure the proper utilization of the medication prescribed. A label bearing the expiration date of the prescription must be affixed to each box, bottle, jar, tube, or other container of a prescription that is dispensed in this state by a pharmacy subject to this section.
     (5) A pharmacy subject to this section shall not dispense medication in a quantity greater than authorized by the prescriber.
     (6) The license fee specified by the secretary, in accordance with the provisions of RCW 43.70.250, shall not exceed the fee charged to a pharmacy located in this state.
     (7) The license requirements of this section apply to nonresident pharmacies that ship, mail, or deliver controlled substances, legend drugs, and devices into this state only under a prescription. The board of pharmacy may grant an exemption from licensing under this section upon application by an out-of-state pharmacy that restricts its dispensing activity in Washington to isolated transactions.
     (8) Each nonresident pharmacy that ships, mails, or delivers legend drugs or devices into this state shall designate a resident agent in Washington for service of process. The designation of such an agent does not indicate that the nonresident pharmacy is a resident of Washington for tax purposes.
     (9) The board shall attempt to develop a reciprocal licensing agreement for licensure of nonresident pharmacies with Health Canada or an applicable Canadian province. If the board is unable to develop such an agreement, the board shall develop a process to license participating Canadian nonresident pharmacies through on-site inspection and certification.