Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Health Care & Wellness Committee |
SSB 5268
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Concerning refilling eye drop prescriptions.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Health Care (originally sponsored by Senators Parlette, Kohl-Welles, Hatfield, Angel and Fraser).
Brief Summary of Substitute Bill |
|
Hearing Date: 3/13/15
Staff: Alexa Silver (786-7190).
Background:
Ophthalmologists are physicians who specialize in eye and vision care. Ophthalmic products that an ophthalmologist may prescribe for an eye disease or injury include eye drops and ointments.
It is unlawful to possess, deliver, or dispense a legend drug or controlled substance except pursuant to an order or prescription issued by a licensed health care provider with prescriptive authority. To "dispense" is to interpret a prescription or order and make the proper selection, measuring, compounding, labeling, or packaging necessary to prepare the prescription or order for delivery.
Only a licensed pharmacist may practice pharmacy, which includes: interpreting prescriptions; compounding, dispensing, labeling, administering, and distributing drugs and devices; monitoring drug therapy and use; initiating or modifying drug therapy in accordance with written guidelines approved by a prescriber; participating in drug utilization review and drug product selection; proper and safe storage and distribution of drugs and devices and maintaining proper records; and providing information on legend drugs.
Summary of Bill:
A pharmacist may provide one early refill of a prescription for an ophthalmic product without consulting a physician or obtaining a new prescription or refill from a physician if:
the refill is requested by a patient at or after 70 percent of the predicted days of use of the date that either the original prescription or the last refill was dispensed;
the prescriber indicates on the original prescription that a specific number of refills will be needed; and
the refill does not exceed the number of refills that the prescriber indicated would be needed.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.