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.