AB 788

Generally, under current law, no pharmacist may dispense at any location in

this state that is not licensed as a pharmacy by the Pharmacy Examining Board,

except that a pharmacist may, pursuant to rules promulgated by the board, dispense

at certain specifically identified types of locations that are not licensed as

pharmacies, which include health care facilities, health care provider offices or

clinics, and jails and other adult and juvenile correctional or residential facilities.

This bill instead requires the aforementioned locations to be licensed by the

board as pharmacies. As such, the bill requires that they adhere to a number of

requirements that apply to other pharmacies, including the requirement for a

managing pharmacist to be designated for the pharmacy. However, the bill allows

pharmacies at any of those locations to be operated as remote dispensing sites, in

which case a pharmacist is not required to be present at the pharmacy, but in that

case a pharmacist must remotely supervise the pharmacy. Finally, the bill allows the

board to promulgate rules governing pharmacies operated as remote dispensing

sites, which may exempt pharmacies operated as remote dispensing sites from rules

that apply to other pharmacies.