Gov. Mike Parson (R) signed into law SB 826, with wide ranging provisions impacting community pharmacy. First, the law prohibits initial opioid prescriptions of more than a seven-day supply for acute pain with exceptions. Pharmacies and pharmacists will not be subject to disciplinary action, or civil or criminal liability for refusing to fill a prescription that exceeds the prescribing limits. Second, the law also authorizes consumer drug disposal through various U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration-approved options, but does not mandate pharmacy participation, and the bill preempts local drug disposal ordinances. The law provides that the state government will also develop a drug disposal education and awareness program for consumers. Third, the bill expands pharmacist immunization authority by lowering the patient age from 12 to 7 years for pharmacists to administer vaccines by written protocol and adds viral influenza to the list of allowed vaccines. For pharmacists administering vaccines, the pharmacist shall enter and inform the patient of entry of the vaccination into the ShowMeVax system. Finally, the law prohibits PBMs from charging patients co-pays that are more than the cash price for a drug and prohibits gag clauses.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Joel Kurzman at 847-905-0555.

The Board of Pharmacy is hosting a free webinar on Thursday, May 10 at 12:00 pm Central, featuring an update from Michael Boeger, Administrator of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, and Tom Glenski, R.Ph., Chief Inspector. Additional details and information to register are available online.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Joel Kurzman at 847-905-0555.

On March 5, Gov. Eric Greitens (R) announced a new effort to address the opioid epidemic that includes enforcing physician compliance with the chronic pain treatment guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The initiative directs the Department of Social Services MO HealthNet Division to work collaboratively with the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Health and Senior Services to accelerate the goals of the MO HealthNet Opioid Prescription Intervention Program, which has been in place since 2010.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Joel Kurzman at 847-905-0555.