The Board of Pharmacy updated its standing order regarding Naloxone. Pharmacists and other pharmacy licensees may administer naloxone to someone appearing to be experiencing an opioid-related overdose and will not be subject to criminal or civil liability or any professional disciplinary action in accordance with state law. 

Also in Massachusetts, the Department of Public Health (DPH) proposed changes to 105 CMR 222 which regulates the Massachusetts Immunization Information System (MIIS). The changes will: 

• Expand the application of the MIIS regulations to also cover authorized recipients of the information transmitted through the system in addition to health care providers. DPH is authorized to designate other appropriate users of the MIIS. 
• Shorten the time timeframe for healthcare providers to report all new immunizations through the system from 7 days to within 72 hours (3 days) of immunization administration.  
• Add the following new information about the recipient that must be transmitted: the recipient’s sex, gender, race, ethnicity and preferred language. 
• Authorize an immunization recipient’s legally authorized representative to object to the sharing of a patient’s immunization information.  
• Add a definition of “Authorized Recipient” to include an individual or agency that the DPH may release immunization information to for specified purposes without further consent from immunization recipients or their legal authorized representatives. An authorized recipient may not access the MIIS until they register as an authorized user. 
• Authorize the Department to enter into collaborative agreements with other states for the purposes of exchanging immunization information. 

Comment deadline is March 15.  

For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.