SB 709

This bill allows a pharmacist to dispense prescribed drugs in quantities and fills

that vary from the quantities and fills specified in a prescribing practitioner's

prescription order, unless the prescriber specifies that adherence to the prescription

order is medically necessary.

Under current law, no prescription may be renewed except as designated on a

prescription order. This bill deletes this provision and instead provides that a

pharmacist may exercise his or her professional judgment to dispense varying

quantities of the prescribed drug per fill up to the total number of dosage units as

authorized by the prescriber in the original prescription including any refills, unless

the prescriber has specified in the prescription order that dispensing a prescribed

drug in an initial amount followed by periodic refills as specified in the prescription

order is medically necessary. The bill does not affect provisions in current law that

prohibit or limit refills of controlled substances.