The Board of Pharmacy posted its May 2024 newsletter. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

On March 13, Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed SB 207, legislation that prohibits the use of extrapolation in pharmacy audits among various other provisions to update the Pharmacy Practice Act. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

Effective February 25, 2024, the Department of Health and Human Services adopted a rule implementing immunization requirements of Title 53G, Chapter 9. Part 3 Immunization Requirements. It establishes minimum immunization requirements for attendance at a public, private, elementary, or secondary school through grade 12, nursery school or kindergarten, licensed day care center, childcare facility, family home care or Head Start program in this state. Of note, pharmacists are among the licensed health care providers who may verify the administration of vaccines on any immunization record. (Utah State Bulletin 2024-03-01, p.92)

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

HB 132 (3rd Substitute), permitting pharmacists or pharmacy interns to engage in therapeutic substitution pursuant to a request or consent by a patient, passed the Senate and is eligible to be sent to Gov. Spencer Cox (R).

Also in Utah, HB 425 (1st Substitute), legislation related to PBM and health insurance reforms, passed the House Business and Labor Committee. The bill includes provisions related to pharmacy network requirements for health benefit plans, modified requirements for pharmacy audits and pharmaceutical manufacturer rebates applied at the point of sale.  

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

The Board of Pharmacy posted the February 2024 newsletter with the following items: 

• Required Electronic CS [Controlled Substances] Prescriptions 
• What You Need to Know About the Pharmacy Technician Trainee License 
• Reminder: Common Violations with Utah Pharmacy Inspections 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The Department of Health & Human Services released the results of its recent survey of the average cost of dispensing a Medicaid prescription in the state. The mean cost of dispensing, weighted by Medicaid prescription volume, was $11.57 per prescription for all pharmacies including specialty pharmacies. For non-specialty pharmacies only, the mean cost of dispensing, weighted by Medicaid prescription volume, was $11.24 per prescription.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The Department of Health & Human Services released the results of its recent survey of the average cost of dispensing a Medicaid prescription in the state. The mean cost of dispensing, weighted by Medicaid prescription volume, was $11.57 per prescription for all pharmacies including specialty pharmacies. For non-specialty pharmacies only, the mean cost of dispensing, weighted by Medicaid prescription volume, was $11.24 per prescription.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The Board of Pharmacy will meet on August 22. The details for participation and the agenda have been posted online. Below are the discussion items. 

• 9:00 AM DSCSA (Drug Supply Chain Security Act); Justin Macy, NABP (National Association of Boards of Pharmacy) Director of Innovation  
• Vaccine Protocol  
• Pharmacist In Charge Responsibilities Review  
• Pharmacist Prescribing Epinephrine Auto-injectors 
• Transfer of Electronic Prescriptions Schedule 2-5  
• Alterations to Schedule II Controlled Substances  
• Hormonal Contraception Questionnaire Update  
• PEP/PrEP Update  
• Next APCEC meeting September 14. 

Also in Utah, the Board of Pharmacy distributed its August 2023 newsletter. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

HB 288 (1st Sub.), legislation requiring a pharmacist who dispenses opioids to offer to counsel the patient or the patient’s representative on the use and availability of an opioid antagonist and offer to dispense an opioid antagonist with a prescription or under other defined criteria, passed both the House and the Senate and will be sent to Gov. Spencer Cox (R) for his consideration. 

Also in Utah, SB 193, legislation that a health insurer may not require a pharmacy to dispense a clinician-administered drug directly to an enrollee with the intention that the enrollee will transport the drug to a healthcare provider for administering, passed the Senate and the House and will be sent to Gov. Cox for his consideration. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.