New rules on therapeutic substitutions were adopted by the Board of Pharmacy, effective May 10, 2022.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

Rules allowing pharmacist therapeutic substitution went into effect as of May 10, 2022. Pharmacists whose practice is located within the State of Arkansas may substitute medications for therapeutically equivalent medications unless the prescriber indicates that no substitution is to be made or if the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy has determined that a therapeutically equivalent product should not be substituted and has notified all pharmacists of that determination.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced a lawsuit against drug manufacturers and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) for manipulating and inflating insulin and drug prices in Arkansas. In the complaint filed in Pulaski County, Attorney General Rutledge alleges that Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, and Eli Lilly conspired with Express Scripts, Caremark and Optum to significantly increase their revenues by unfairly and deceptively driving up the costs of insulin, making insulin, and other diabetic treatments unaffordable for many diabetics in Arkansas and creating an enormous financial burden for Arkansas consumers.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) appointed Jennifer Dillaha, M.D., as Director of the Department of Health. Since 2001, she has worked at the Department of Health leading the Agency’s health promotion efforts focused on population-based interventions to improve the health and well-being of all Arkansans. The Governor also appointed Renee Mallory, RN, BSN to the position as interim Secretary of Health. 

Also in Arkansas, the Department of Human Services Medicaid established a provider portal to accept applications for new providers as an individual practitioner so that pharmacists can order, render, and prescribe with the applicable CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) documentation. Recent legislation passed gave authority to pharmacists to test for flu and strep as well, along with other prescribing authority.  

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

Effective April 1, 2022, Medicaid began accepting applications for new providers as individual practitioners. Pharmacists that intend to be an Ordering, Rendering, and Prescribing (ORP) provider for pharmacy and medical claim billing, must enroll with Arkansas Medicaid. Applications may be submitted to the Provider Portal. For more information, contact the Provider Assistance Center at (501) 376-2211.  

Also in Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) appointed Jennifer Dillaha, M.D., as Director of the Department of Health. Since 2001, she has worked at the Department of Health leading the Agency’s health promotion efforts focused on population-based interventions to improve the health and well-being of all Arkansans. The Governor also appointed  Renee Mallory, RN, BSN to the position as interim Secretary of Health. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) announced that the Secretary of Health Dr. Jose Romero is resigning on May 6^th to take a job with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

Since methamphetamine is currently the states’ greatest drug threat, the Department of Human Services (DHS) launched the “Me Over Meth” prevention campaign. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

Prior to adjourning the fiscal session sine die on March 15th, the House of Representatives selected Rep. Matthew Shepherd (R) to serve a third term as Speaker of the House when the 94th General Assembly convenes in January 2023. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

The Legislature convened its biennial fiscal session on February 14th.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.