(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a pharmacist may furnish naloxone hydrochloride in accordance with standardized procedures or protocols developed and approved by both the board and the Medical Board of California, in consultation with the California Society of Addiction Medicine, the California Pharmacists Association, and other appropriate entities. In developing those standardized procedures or protocols, the board and the Medical Board of California shall include the following:
(1) Procedures to ensure education of the person to whom the drug is furnished, including, but not limited to, opioid overdose prevention, recognition, and response, safe administration of naloxone hydrochloride, potential side effects or adverse events, and the imperative to seek emergency medical care for the patient.
(2) Procedures to ensure the education of the person to whom the drug is furnished regarding the availability of drug treatment programs.
(3) Procedures for the notification of the patient’s primary care provider with patient consent of any drugs or devices furnished to the patient, or entry of appropriate information in a patient record system shared with the primary care provider, as permitted by that primary care provider, and with patient consent.
(b) A pharmacist furnishing naloxone hydrochloride pursuant to this section shall not permit the person to whom the drug is furnished to waive the consultation required by the board and the Medical Board of California.
(c) Prior to performing a procedure authorized under this section, a pharmacist shall complete a training program on the use of opioid antagonists that consists of at least one hour of approved continuing education on the use of naloxone hydrochloride.
(d) The board and the Medical Board of California are each authorized to ensure compliance with this section. Each board is specifically charged with enforcing this section with respect to its respective licensees. This section does not expand the authority of a pharmacist to prescribe any prescription medication.
(e) The board may adopt emergency regulations to establish the standardized procedures or protocols. The adoption of regulations pursuant to this subdivision shall be deemed to be an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or general welfare. The emergency regulations authorized by this subdivision are exempt from review by the Office of Administrative Law. The emergency regulations authorized by this subdivision shall be submitted to the Office of Administrative Law for filing with the Secretary of State and shall remain in effect until the earlier of 180 days following their effective date or the effective date of regulations adopted pursuant to subdivision (a).
(Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 326, Sec. 1. (AB 1535) Effective January 1, 2015.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018