(a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, a pharmacist may furnish self-administered hormonal contraceptives in accordance with standardized procedures or protocols developed and approved by both the board and the Medical Board of California in consultation with the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the California Pharmacists Association, and other appropriate entities. The standardized procedure or protocol shall require that the patient use a self-screening tool that will identify patient risk factors for use of self-administered hormonal contraceptives, based on the current United States Medical Eligibility Criteria (USMEC) for Contraceptive Use developed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and that the pharmacist refer the patient to the patient’s primary care provider or, if the patient does not have a primary care provider, to nearby clinics, upon furnishing a self-administered hormonal contraceptive pursuant to this subdivision, or if it is determined that use of a self-administered hormonal contraceptive is not recommended.
(2) The board and the Medical Board of California are both authorized to ensure compliance with this subdivision, and each board is specifically charged with the enforcement of this subdivision with respect to its respective licensees. This subdivision does not expand the authority of a pharmacist to prescribe any prescription medication.
(b) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, a pharmacist may furnish emergency contraception drug therapy in accordance with either of the following:
(A) Standardized procedures or protocols developed by the pharmacist and an authorized prescriber who is acting within his or her scope of practice.
(B) Standardized procedures or protocols developed and approved by both the board and the Medical Board of California in consultation with the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the California Pharmacists Association, and other appropriate entities. The board and the Medical Board of California are both authorized to ensure compliance with this clause, and each board is specifically charged with the enforcement of this provision with respect to its respective licensees. This subdivision does not expand the authority of a pharmacist to prescribe any prescription medication.
(2) Prior to performing a procedure authorized under this subdivision, a pharmacist shall complete a training program on emergency contraception that consists of at least one hour of approved continuing education on emergency contraception drug therapy.
(3) A pharmacist, pharmacist’s employer, or pharmacist’s agent shall not directly charge a patient a separate consultation fee for emergency contraception drug therapy services initiated pursuant to this subdivision, but may charge an administrative fee not to exceed ten dollars ($10) above the retail cost of the drug. Upon an oral, telephonic, electronic, or written request from a patient or customer, a pharmacist or pharmacist’s employee shall disclose the total retail price that a consumer would pay for emergency contraception drug therapy. As used in this paragraph, total retail price includes providing the consumer with specific information regarding the price of the emergency contraception drugs and the price of the administrative fee charged. This limitation is not intended to interfere with other contractually agreed-upon terms between a pharmacist, a pharmacist’s employer, or a pharmacist’s agent, and a health care service plan or insurer. Patients who are insured or covered and receive a pharmacy benefit that covers the cost of emergency contraception shall not be required to pay an administrative fee. These patients shall be required to pay copayments pursuant to the terms and conditions of their coverage. This paragraph shall become inoperative for dedicated emergency contraception drugs if these drugs are reclassified as over-the-counter products by the federal Food and Drug Administration.
(4) A pharmacist shall not require a patient to provide individually identifiable medical information that is not specified in Section 1707.1 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations before initiating emergency contraception drug therapy pursuant to this subdivision.
(c) For each emergency contraception drug therapy or self-administered hormonal contraception initiated pursuant to this section, the pharmacist shall provide the recipient of the drug with a standardized factsheet that includes, but is not limited to, the indications and contraindications for use of the drug, the appropriate method for using the drug, the need for medical followup, and other appropriate information. The board shall develop this form in consultation with the State Department of Public Health, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the California Pharmacists Association, and other health care organizations. This section does not preclude the use of existing publications developed by nationally recognized medical organizations.
(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 469, Sec. 7. (SB 493) Effective January 1, 2014.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018