North Carolina

The Board of Pharmacy published a proposed rule to amend regulations under 21 NCAC 46 to require pharmacies to report information on compounded drugs to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy’s e-Profile Connect system. The rule would implement the memorandum of understanding with the secretary of Health and Human Services on the distribution of compounded drug products. The rule also would update information on accessing U.S. Pharmacopeia compounding standards. A hearing is scheduled for June 15, 2021, via webcast and teleconference. Comments are due June 15, 2021.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Michael Silber2021-04-23T12:20:06-04:00April 23, 2021|North Carolina|

North Carolina

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has no-cost antigen tests they would like to share with retail businesses that are interested in screening their employees for COVID-19. The Department of Health and Human Services will also arrange an orientation call with any NCRMA member to discuss what you need to do to request and receive the free tests from DHHS. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has a supply of Abbott BinaxNOW rapid, point-of-care antigen testing supplies available to support testing efforts to quickly identify and respond to cases of COVID-19. Facilities interested in receiving tests from the state must meet ALL the following requirements:

CLIA Certificate — Obtain a CLIA certificate or partner with an entity with a CLIA certificate
Physician Order — Secure a signed physician order or elect to use the Statewide Order
PPE — Maintain an adequate supply of PPE to perform tests
Medical Waste — Adhere to standards to properly handle and dispose of medical waste
Training — Ensure all testing personnel have completed BinaxNOW training
Reporting — Verify ability to complete DHHS reporting requirements. Reporting methods can be found at Getting Started with Automated Reporting.
Quarantine & Isolation Support – Provide the necessary quarantine and isolation guidance for all individuals with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 or who are close contacts of a COVID-19 case

Request process: All facilities that meet the above requirements may apply to request tests via the request form.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Michael Silber2021-04-16T09:53:23-04:00April 16, 2021|North Carolina|

North Carolina

The North Carolina Medicaid Department issued a proposed rule to require Medicaid recipients to get a 90-day supply of non-controlled, maintenance medications and remove the requirement that Medicaid (or a managed care company after July 1, 2021) would have to pay NADAC or the State MAC Price for the prescription. More details can be found at the above link on page 8. Comments can be submitted here and are due April 12, 2021.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Michael Silber2021-03-26T12:13:54-04:00March 26, 2021|North Carolina|

North Carolina

The Board of Pharmacy published a final rule which amends regulations under 21 NCAC 46 to establish a list of restricted drugs during the coronavirus (Covid-19) public health emergency. The rule also establishes that pharmacists can fill the prescriptions on the list only if the prescription bears a written diagnosis consistent with the evidence for its use.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Michael Silber2021-03-19T14:24:20-04:00March 19, 2021|North Carolina|

North Carolina

Proposed rule of the Medical Board would amend regulations under 21 NCAC 32B and 32M to establish a coronavirus (Covid-19) restricted drug list and standards for physicians or physician assistants and nurse practitioners to prescribe restricted drugs for the treatment of Covid-19. The rule also would remove two drugs from the restricted drug list that is currently in effect under a temporary rule. A hearing is scheduled for Jan. 15, 2021, via teleconference. Comments are due Jan. 15, 2021.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Michael Angeloni2020-11-20T08:37:34-05:00November 20, 2020|North Carolina|

North Carolina

Pharmacists who need to update their immunizer status with the Board of Pharmacy to administer vaccines may find instructions here.

Also in North Carolina. The Commission for Public Health issued an emergency rule to adopt regulations under 10A NCAC 41A to require all health care providers and clinical laboratories to report all coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnostic test results, both positive and negative. The rule includes requirements for how the reporting should occur and the timeframe for reporting positive and negative results. The rule because effective on September 25 and expires November 24, 2020.

Lastly in North Carolina. The Division of Medical Assistance is extending a temporary provider rate increases including pharmacy dispensing fees through the end of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency, which goes through January 21, 2021. This action will extend all COVID-19 rate increases currently in place. For more information, please click here.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Michael Angeloni2020-10-23T10:12:43-04:00October 23, 2020|North Carolina|

North Carolina

The Commission for Public Health announced a notice of intention to issue a temporary rule that would adopt regulations under 10A NCAC 41A to require all health care providers and clinical laboratories to report allCOVID-19 diagnostic test results, both positive and negative. The rule would include requirements for how the reporting should occur and the timeframe for reporting positive and negative results. The rule currently is in effect as an emergency rule. A hearing is scheduled for October 9 by teleconference. Comments are due October 16, 2020.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Michael Angeloni2020-10-09T08:14:28-04:00October 9, 2020|North Carolina|

North Carolina

In April 2020 the DEA announced its intent to deschedule Epidiolex (previously a Schedule V controlled substance). On August 21 the DEA concluded that rulemaking process. Accordingly, under federal law, Epidiolex is no longer a controlled substance. However, for now, in North Carolina, Epidiolex remains a Schedule V controlled substance under state law.

Also in North Carolina. The next Board of Pharmacy election is scheduled to begin November 1, 2020. The Southeastern District seat presently held by J. Andrew Bowman is the only position on the Board that will be filled. Dr. Bowman will complete his first five-year term on April 30, 2021 and is eligible to run for a second term. All pharmacists actively licensed by the Board and living in North Carolina at the time of the election will be eligible to vote. Beginning November 1, 2020 pharmacists can simply log in to the Board’s Licensure Gateway and select from the list of candidates. To be eligible to run, the candidate must be an actively licensed pharmacist residing in one of the listed counties at the time of the election. Candidates who wish to stand for election will be required to submit a petition signed by ten (10) pharmacists residing in the Southeastern district to the Board office by October 1, 2020. Please contact Kristin Moore at the Board office for petition/signature logistics.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Michael Angeloni2020-09-11T13:41:11-04:00September 11, 2020|North Carolina|

North Carolina

For all pharmacies that have received a Cost of Dispensing Survey response request, North Carolina Medicaid has extended its Cost of Dispensing Survey deadline from August 18^th to September 1^st.

Also in North Carolina. The Medical Board has issued a proposed rule which would amend regulations under 21 NCAC 32S to remove the physician’s assistant’s license number and authorized primary or back-up physician’s name and telephone number from the required information in the physician assistant prescription. A hearing is scheduled for October 16, 2020, via teleconference. Comments on the proposed rule are also due on October 16, 2020.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Michael Angeloni2020-08-28T10:56:03-04:00August 28, 2020|North Carolina|