AB 295

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 provides instead that a pharmacist may dispense at one of those

locations only if the location is licensed by the board as a pharmacy. The bill requires

this kind of pharmacy to 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 this kind of pharmacy to be operated as

a remote dispensing site, in which case a pharmacist is not required to be present at

the pharmacy but must supervise it remotely. The bill also 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.

This bill exempts a person who is providing services as directed, supervised,

and inspected by certain medical professionals from the requirement to be licensed

as a pharmacist by the board while the person is providing the services at a narcotic

treatment service for opiate addiction or a free and charitable clinic, as defined in the

bill.