New Laws Implemented in 2013 Legislative Session
The 2013 legislative session changed pharmacy laws that may affect you or your practice. Here’s a list of those bills and the schedule to include the changes into administrative rules.
Allowing Washington Pharmacies to Fill Prescriptions Written by Physician Assistants in Other States
Resident and Nonresident Pharmacy Compounding
HB 1800
Law Effective May 7, 2013
"Manufacture" is defined to include distributing a pharmacy-compounded drug to other licensed people or businesses to sell or distribute, unless the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission has approved a product. The term “manufacture” doesn’t include: (a) a pharmacy that compounds a product or provides it to a practitioner to give to patients; (b) a pharmacy repackaging medication in small amounts for office use by a practitioner; (c) distributing a drug product a pharmacy has compounded to other licensed entities the compounding facility owns or controls; or (d) delivery of finished compounded products dispensed with a prescription to other locations, other than the patient's home, when asked for by the patient or the prescriber to give to the patient, or to another pharmacy to dispense to the patient.
Also, the law says any medicinal products compounded for patients or for distribution to a practitioner for patient use must meet official United States Pharmacopeia standards as they apply to nonsterile and sterile products.
The commission filed public notice to begin rulemaking on May 20, 2013. The commission will review nationally recognized pharmaceutical compounding standards as it updates and establishes practice standards for compounding sterile and nonsterile preparations in all pharmacy practice.
Redistribution of Medications Under Certain Conditions
SSB 5148
Law Effective July 1, 2014
The law allows a pharmacy to redistribute prescription drugs and supplies donated by certain medical professionals and drug manufacturers or wholesalers, without compensation, to another pharmacy, pharmacist, or prescribing practitioner.