Culminating several years of effort by NACDS and the Michigan Retailers Association, Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) signed into law e-prescribing legislation (HB 4217, SB 248, and SB 254) as Public Acts 134-136 of 2020. The law applies to all drugs, not just controlled substances, and will become effective on October 1, 2021.

Also in Michigan. The broad regulatory waivers afforded to pharmacists and pharmacies under Executive Order 2020-126 were drastically reduced with Executive Order 2020-152, effective on July 15. The following flexibilities are no longer in effect:

  • 60-day emergency supply refills of non-controlled maintenance medication
  • Pharmacists may temporarily operate a pharmacy in an area not designated on the pharmacy license, but they may not prepare sterile drug products beyond low-risk preparations, as defined by United States Pharmacopeia (USP) standards, for immediate inpatient administration in such temporary facilities
  • Dispensing/administering drugs as needed to treat COVID-19
  • Substitutions of therapeutically equivalent medication for a medication subject to critical shortages without the authorization of a prescriber
  • Supervision of pharmacy technicians and other pharmacy staff remotely (unless licensed as a tele-pharmacy under Michigan law)
  • Allowing out-of-state pharmacies and wholesale distributors holding a license, certificate, or other permit in good standing issued by another state to do business in this state

For more information, contact NACDS’ Joel Kurzman at 847-905-0555.