Virginia

The Board of Pharmacy has revised its document HHS Vaccine Allowances for Pharmacists, Pharmacy Interns, and Pharmacy Technicians during COVID-19 Health Emergency and COVID-19 Testing Resource to include additional guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on October 20 which authorizes both “qualified pharmacy technicians” and State-authorized pharmacy interns acting under the supervision of a qualified pharmacist to administer FDA-authorized or FDA-licensed COVID-19 vaccines to persons ages three or older and to administer FDA-authorized or FDA-licensed ACIP-recommended vaccines to persons ages three through 18.

Also in Virginia. The agenda packet for the Board of Pharmacy’s virtual public hearings and the full board meeting scheduled on December 10, 2020, has been posted.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

2020-12-04T08:41:44-05:00December 4, 2020|Virginia|

Virginia

The Board of Pharmacy has published the agenda for the regulation committee’s meeting on November 12, 2020, at 9 am. Instructions to access the virtual meeting are included in the agenda.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

2020-11-06T12:22:55-05:00November 6, 2020|Virginia|

Virginia

The Department of Health (VDH) has asked NACDS to share their COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Intent form with members. Members who wish or plan to receive the upcoming COVID-19 vaccine through the VDH must fill out and submit this form. If you are planning to receive the vaccine directly from the CDC, you do not need to file the form with VDH. The letter is also available on the VDH Resources for Health Care Professionals web page. As of now, one form is required for each location, however, VDH is looking into whether they can accept a spreadsheet for multiple locations. According to VDH, the physician and physician license number fields should be filled out with the pharmacy location name and pharmacy license number.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

2020-10-09T08:05:53-04:00October 9, 2020|Virginia|

Virginia

The 2nd pharmacy protocol workgroup met this week to consider the third enactment clause of HB 1506 of 2020. The charge of this workgroup is to recommend further protocols to the General Assembly for legislative consideration in the 2021 session. Both NACDS and VACDS were represented on the workgroup and provided public comments before the meeting. Please see the agenda for background and details. The workgroup voted to recommend the following protocols:

  • Immunizations – all CDC-recommended vaccines for adults
  • Tobacco Cessation and treatment
  • TB testing
  • Flu test and treat
  • UTI Test and Treat
  • Strep Test and Treat
  • HIV Prep and Pep –
  • The workgroup also agreed to adopt language recommending that pharmacists be authorized to dispense certain devices – i.e. diabetic supplies

Also in Virginia. The Board of Pharmacy has adopted an emergency regulation based on the requirements for pharmacists to order and administer childhood vaccines under the PREP Act. Effective September 22, any pharmacist who administers an immunization or directs a pharmacy intern to administer an immunization under his supervision to a person aged three through eighteen years in accordance with the United States Health and Human Services declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act during the COVID-19 public health emergency shall report such immunization to and provide all information required by the Virginia Immunization Information System.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

2020-09-25T12:33:44-04:00September 25, 2020|Virginia|

Virginia

The Board of Pharmacy has posted the agenda for second meeting of the workgroup on pharmacists protocols scheduled for Monday, Aug. 17 at 9 a.m. The agenda includes the draft protocols (contraceptives, prenatal vitamins, naloxone, epinephrine, and OTC drugs) and the draft regulation that the workgroup will consider for recommendation to the full board. The joint Board of Pharmacy and Board of Medicine workgroup is required by HB 1506 of 2020 to write protocols to allow pharmacists to initiate therapies and administer medications.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

2020-08-14T10:34:03-04:00August 14, 2020|Virginia|

Virginia

In response to Governor Ralph Northam’s (D) declared state of emergency regarding COVID-19 and as authorized in §54.1-3307.3, the Board of Pharmacy clarified that pharmacists can perform all CLIA-waived point of care tests, including COVID-19 tests. Additionally, they made updates to their Emergency Provisions During the COVID-19 Declared Emergency that includes waiver of the signature requirement as proof of delivery.  

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

2020-05-07T09:39:33-04:00May 7, 2020|Virginia|

Virginia

Physician-Governor Ralph Northam (R) signed HB 1506, a bill that was a priority in NACDS’ Scope of Business Campaign. The new law requires the development of statewide protocols for pharmacists to use to provide a wide range of services including contraceptives, epinephrine, prenatal vitamins, dietary fluoride supplements and prescription medications when the patient’s copay or cost-sharing is less than the cost of the equivalent over-the-counter drug. It also requires the Board of Pharmacy, the Board of Medicine and the Department of Health to convene a workgroup to make recommendations on further statewide protocols allowing pharmacists to administer additional vaccines, provide tobacco cessation therapy and pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis for the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and perform simple CLIA-waived testing and tuberculosis testing, and over-the-counter drugs that require a prescription by the patient’s health insurance provider.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

2020-04-16T09:13:23-04:00April 16, 2020|Virginia|

Virginia

NACDS was on the ground in Richmond again this past weekend to help shepherd the final passage of the conference committee substitute report on HB 1506, just short of the Legislature’s adjournment. HB 1506 was sponsored by Del. Mark Sickles (D) at the request of the Virginia Pharmacists Association (VPhA). The bill would allow pharmacists to provide a wide range of services under statewide protocol including: contraceptives, epinephrine, prenatal vitamins, dietary fluoride supplements and prescription medications when the copay is less than the over the counter version of the same drug. The protocols must be developed by the Board of Pharmacy (BOP) in collaboration with the Board of Medicine (BOM) and Department of Health (VDH) by Nov. 1, 2020. Additionally, the bill requires the Boards and VDH to convene a workgroup to make recommendations on further statewide protocols allowing pharmacists to perform CLIA-waived tests; administer vaccines; and provide tobacco cessation, tuberculosis and HIV therapy; as well as over the counter drugs in certain cases. The workgroup recommendations are also due Nov. 1, 2020. The bill now goes to Gov. Ralph Northam (D) for consideration. NACDS will continue to work with VPhA and the administration to advocate for Gov. Northam’s signature into law.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

2020-03-12T10:10:24-04:00March 12, 2020|Virginia|

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