For the past four months, NACDS jointly with the California Retailers Association, the California Pharmacists Association and Board of Pharmacy, has been urging Governor Gavin Newsom’s Administration to remove existing barriers to allow pharmacies to fully engage in COVID testing. In early May, the Governor granted authority allowing pharmacies to only collect test specimens, due to limited restrictions of requirements to have a laboratory director. Finally, on August 24, the Governor signed an Executive Order increasing the availability of CLIA-waived COVID-19 testing by pharmacies. The order directs the Department of Consumer Affairs, in consultation with the California Department of Public Health, to issue waivers (DCA-20-45) permitting pharmacies with CLIA-waived certificates to have their pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to conduct CLIA-waived COVID-19 tests — order tests, collect specimens, process with the appropriate equipment and quickly provide patients with the results.
Also in California. The Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery has opened the comment period for the third draft of the Pharmaceutical and Sharps Waste Stewardship Proposed Regulations. The 15-day comment period is opened on August 21 and will close on September 4, 2020. Written comments can be submitted to pharmasharps@calrecycle.ca.gov.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.