| Today, State Senator James Maroney (D-Milford), Senate Chair of the General Law Committee, led the State Senate’s passage of legislation seeking to enhance regulations of prescription drugs and help overworked pharmacists.
If made law, the bill would authorize dispensing of prescription drugs in compliance packaging, meaning individual components by dose; allow pharmacy technician students to engage in official duties if they are under direct supervision of a pharmacist instructing in the program; and allows pharmacists to order and administer vaccines, among other changes.
“We’re seeing more pressure on pharmacists than ever, and this bill will help relieve that stress,” said Sen. Maroney. “This will provide more staff to help with busy technicians, add more options for simpler care improving patient outcomes and take steps to monitor the rising issue of pharmacy closures without warning. All of these will help both pharmacists and patients and I’m encouraged to see this bill become law.”
“I have been concerned about small pharmacies closing by larger retail pharmacies, followed by national chains leaving areas and creating health care deserts,” said State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor), who co-sponsored the bill. “This issue needs to be studied and better handled; this bill will create a group to better monitor this issue and protect access to health care.”
Senate Bill 133, “An Act Concerning Regulation of Prescription Drugs and Related Professions,” would make changes to current pharmaceutical laws including establishing advanced pharmacy technician and clerk occupational categories, authorize pharmacists and advanced pharmacy technicians to dispense drugs to patients in packaging that separates drugs by dose, allow for repackaging of compliance packaging and make it a punishable offense for pharmacy staff to return sold or delivered drug stock or inventory to general inventory.
Additionally, the bill would establish a task force for legislators and industry professionals to study the impact of unannounced or sudden retail pharmacy closures.
The bill would further allow for pharmacy technician students to engage in pharmacy technician duties under direct supervision of pharmacist instructors, allow pharmacists to order and administer vaccines for certain patients.
Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan Cafferelli testified in February that this bill’s support of compliance packaging would be a tremendous step toward improving medication compliance among patients, reducing medication errors and improving patient outcomes. Cafferelli also said the legislation’s establishment of advanced pharmacy technician registration will provide pharmacy technicians opportunities to expand their roles in pharmacies and relieve the burden faced by overworked pharmacists.
Christina Hatfield, Director of Pharmacy at Hartford Hospital, testified that the bill’s development of Advanced Pharmacy Technician roles will aid in the provision of safer care and counter a shortage of trained pharmacists in the state amid larger industry struggles.
The bill previously passed the General Law Committee by a unanimous 22-0 vote. It now heads to the House for further consideration.
Caption: Senator Maroney discusses the bill on the Senate floor Tuesday. |
