In response to an invitation by Nevada Senator Nicole Cannizzaro and her Committee to Conduct an Interim Study Concerning the Costs of  Prescription Drugs authorized by Senate Bill 276 (2019), NACDS prepared comments for our in-state partner, Liz MacMenamin with the Retail Association of Nevada, to present to legislators at the second of five meetings held on February 28^th. Other panelists testifying were representatives from PCMA, health plans, BIOS, PhRMA, generic manufacturers, AARP, and the culinary union. The purpose of the committee is to identify solutions for drafting legislation for the 2021 session. For more information go to – https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/InterimCommittee/REL/Interim2019/Committee/1574/Meetings

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

Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) appointed three new members to the seven-member Board of Pharmacy – public member Richard Tomasso, hospital pharmacist Krystal Freitas, and pharmacist Helen Parks who will serve as president. There is still one vacant pharmacist seat.

Also in Nevada… NACDS submitted comments supporting a proposed rule allowing pharmacists to delegate access to run the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) reports to delegates including intern pharmacists, pharmaceutical technicians or pharmaceutical technicians in training. This rulemaking serves to eliminate some the administrative barriers that pharmacists encounter when running PDMP reports.

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

Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) held a press conference this week announcing aggressive action his Administration is taking against the Board of Pharmacy. Apparently, a 2005 law requiring fingerprinting and criminal background checks for applicants seeking wholesale pharmacy licenses was never implemented despite the fact that the Board collected fees from the applicants. The Governor announced that he will be making new appointments to the Board, and that the 10-month investigation being conducted by two independent agencies will continue.

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

At the July 18 Board of Pharmacy workshop meeting, the Board considered changing the ratio of pharmacist and pharmaceutical technician (currently 1:3 since 2006) to 1:8 ratio where a pharmacist can supervise up to 8 technicians or up to 5 technicians and 3 technicians-in-training. Unfortunately, board members decided to pursue adopting a 1:4 ratio and removing the ability of a clerk, defined as an individual who is not a pharmacist, intern pharmacist, pharmacy technician or pharmacy technician in training, from performing any task in a pharmacy where they come into contact with any prescription drug that is not packaged for final sale and verified by a pharmacist. This issue will be on the Board’s Workshop Agenda at its Wednesday-Thursday, September 4-5 meeting in Reno.

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

On June 7, Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) signed into law a bill the Retail Association of Nevada and NACDS promoted mandating that by Friday, January 1, 2021, all controlled substances prescriptions be submitted electronically. Our bill sponsor Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson (D) said, “With the signing of Assembly Bill 310, Nevada now joins the growing number of states that have passed mandatory e-prescribing laws in an effort to combat the opioid crisis.” Frierson added, “Electronic prescribing has proven to be an effective tool for reducing unlawful and fraudulent prescriptions, tracking and monitoring medication regimens, and reigning in doctor shopping.”

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

The legislature adjourned June 3. Prior to adjournment, AB 310, legislation Speaker James Frierson (D) introduced at the request of NACDS and the Retail Association of Nevada mandating electronic prescribing for controlled substances by Friday, January 1, 2021, was sent to Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) for signature.

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

SB 283, legislation that included a provision that would have mandated that all prescriptions be entered into the Prescription Monitoring Program was successfully amended by NACDS’ in-state partners, the Retail Association of Nevada.

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