In response to the passage of House Bill 96 and House Bill 196, the North Carolina Board of Pharmacy has published proposed rules in the North Carolina Register to implement this legislation in three specific areas. The Board will accept written comments on these rules until May 2, 2022, and these comments can be sent to Jay Campbell by email at ncboprulemaking@ncbop.org. The Board will also hold a remote public hearing on these proposed rules on April 28, 2022, at 10:00 am.  

  1. House Bill 96 required the North Carolina Board of Pharmacy to adopt rules creating a Code of Ethics for Pharmacists. The Board has proposed 21 NCAC 46 .1820 incorporates the American Pharmacist Code of Ethics. 
  1. House Bill 96 authorized pharmacy technicians and pharmacy interns to administer vaccines and immunizations allowed under N.C.G.S. 90-85.15B including COVID-19 Vaccines and Influenza vaccines for patients ten years of age and older. The Board has proposed changes to 21 NCAC 46 .2507 (Administration of Vaccines by Pharmacists) by creating a new subsection (c) to set-out the requirements for pharmacy technicians and pharmacy interns to administer these vaccines including required training, supervision, offers of counseling and continuing education. Of note the required training is a practical training program approved by the Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education.  

Code of Ethics for Pharmacists (21 NCAC 46.1820) and Changes to Immunizing Pharmacists Rules (21 NCAC 46.2507) – http://www.ncbop.org/LawsRules/1820_2507ProposedCodeofEthics_AdminVaccinesPublicHearingApr282022.pdf  

  1. House Bill 196 and subsequently amended by House Bill 96 authorizes immunizing pharmacists to administer long-acting injectables and the proposed 21 NCAC 46 .2514 implements this new practice area by defining what constitutes a “long-acting injectable”, provides training requirements and acceptable training programs, sets out a standard as far as possession of the long-acting injectable drug and creates records keeping requirements for the immunizing pharmacist.  

Administration of Long-Acting Injectables (21 NCAC 46. 2514) – http://www.ncbop.org/LawsRules/2514_ProposedRuleAdminLongActingInjectablesPublicHearingApr282022.pdf  

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.