The Board of Pharmacy informed licensees about a scam involving a letter that is coming from the Board. The SCAM letter indicates suspension of license with opportunity to restore it by obtaining authorization from the concerned department. There is also a follow-up call to the licensee asking to wire money to resolve the issue. As a reminder, this is contrary to Board operations, the Board posted a process to manage complaints. Please reach out to the Arizona Board of Pharmacy using the contact information on the Board’s website directly if you receive suspicious mail, fax, or phone calls.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

HB 2841, the general appropriations act (2022-2023), includes funding for the Organized Retail Theft (ORT) Task Force; see page 9 for details.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

On March 30, Gov. Doug Ducey (R) signed HB 2490 (Chapter 98), providing clarity for collaborative practice agreements including requirements, rules, and definitions.

Also in Arizona, on March 24, Gov. Doug Ducey (R) signed HB 2612 (Chapter 59), removing certain occupational licensing requirements and regulations that applicants/persons must be “of good moral character” to be approved for certain licenses and certifications including pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.

Finally, in Arizona, on March 25, Gov. Doug Ducey (R) signed SB 1639 (Chapter 78), that requires integrating a medical practitioner’s electronic medical records system with the state’s Controlled Substances Prescription Monitoring Program (CSPMP) central database tracking system either directly or through the statewide health information exchange or a third-party vendor, by December 31, 2026.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

Governor Doug Ducey (R) signed SB 1309 (Chapter 77), extending temporary licenses issued during the COVID-19 emergency declaration and active on March 1, 2022; they do not expire until January 1, 2023. 

Also in Arizona, Gov. Ducey announced the end of the COVID-19 emergency declaration. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

SB (Senate Bill) 1016, legislation requiring a pharmacist to dispense all prescription orders during a public health state of emergency with certain immunity protections and conditions for refusal to dispense, failed to pass the State Senate with a vote of 14-15.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The Board of Pharmacy issued a Notice of Supplemental Proposed Rulemaking 4 AAC 23 related to pharmacist delegation/technician rules; see pages 339-343. A public hearing has been scheduled for March 9 at 9:00 a.m. (local time). Please note the current proposal excludes a pharmacist’s delegation of vaccine administration by a technician which was the issue of concern in the former rules package.  Please recall the technician rules package was removed from the Governor’s Regulatory Review Council’s December 2021 agenda prior to the meeting by the Board of Pharmacy over concerns expressed about technician vaccine administration.  

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The Board of Pharmacy is scheduled to meet February 9-10. Once available, the agenda will be posted on the website.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

NACDS submitted comments to the Board of Pharmacy stating support for the proposed rules allowing pharmacists to delegate additional nondiscretionary tasks to pharmacy technicians, including the technical act of administering vaccines and performing other tasks that a pharmacy technician is trained to perform.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The Board of Pharmacy reminds prescribers and dispensers that mandatory e-prescribing of Schedule II controlled substances that are opioids resumed on July 9.   

Also in Arizona, the Board of Pharmacy issued a notice of proposed rulemaking allowing pharmacy technicians to perform additional tasks delegated by pharmacists, including administration of a vaccine. Oral proceedings will be held on September 21.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.