(a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, dangerous drugs or dangerous devices may only be ordered by an entity licensed by the board and shall be delivered to the licensed premises and signed for and received by a pharmacist. Where a licensee is permitted to operate through a designated representative, or in the case of a reverse distributor a designated representative-reverse distributor, that individual shall sign for and receive the delivery.
(b) A dangerous drug or dangerous device transferred, sold, or delivered to a person within this state shall be transferred, sold, or delivered only to an entity licensed by the board, to a manufacturer, or to an ultimate user or the ultimate user’s agent.
(c) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b), deliveries to a hospital pharmacy may be made to a central receiving location within the hospital. However, the dangerous drugs or dangerous devices shall be delivered to the licensed pharmacy premises within one working day following receipt by the hospital, and the pharmacist on duty at that time shall immediately inventory the dangerous drugs or dangerous devices.
(d) Notwithstanding any other law, a dangerous drug or dangerous device may be ordered by and provided to a manufacturer, physician, dentist, podiatrist, optometrist, veterinarian, naturopathic doctor pursuant to Section 3640.7, or laboratory, or a physical therapist acting within the scope of his or her license. A person or entity receiving delivery of a dangerous drug or dangerous device, or a duly authorized representative of the person or entity, shall sign for the receipt of the dangerous drug or dangerous device.
(e) A dangerous drug or dangerous device shall not be transferred, sold, or delivered to a person outside this state, whether foreign or domestic, unless the transferor, seller, or deliverer does so in compliance with the laws of this state and of the United States and of the state or country to which the dangerous drugs or dangerous devices are to be transferred, sold, or delivered. Compliance with the laws of this state and the United States and of the state or country to which the dangerous drugs or dangerous devices are to be delivered shall include, but not be limited to, determining that the recipient of the dangerous drugs or dangerous devices is authorized by law to receive the dangerous drugs or dangerous devices.
(f) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a pharmacy may take delivery of dangerous drugs and dangerous devices when the pharmacy is closed and no pharmacist is on duty if all of the following requirements are met:
(1) The drugs are placed in a secure storage facility in the same building as the pharmacy.
(2) Only the pharmacist-in-charge or a pharmacist designated by the pharmacist-in-charge has access to the secure storage facility after dangerous drugs or dangerous devices have been delivered.
(3) The secure storage facility has a means of indicating whether it has been entered after dangerous drugs or dangerous devices have been delivered.
(4) The pharmacy maintains written policies and procedures for the delivery of dangerous drugs and dangerous devices to a secure storage facility.
(5) The agent delivering dangerous drugs and dangerous devices pursuant to this subdivision leaves documents indicating the name and amount of each dangerous drug or dangerous device delivered in the secure storage facility.
The pharmacy shall be responsible for the dangerous drugs and dangerous devices delivered to the secure storage facility. The pharmacy shall also be responsible for obtaining and maintaining records relating to the delivery of dangerous drugs and dangerous devices to a secure storage facility.
(g) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), dangerous drugs and devices and controlled substances may be ordered by a remote dispensing site pharmacy licensed by the board and may be signed for and received by a registered pharmacy technician, who meets the qualifications of Section 4132, at the remote site. A controlled substance signed for by a pharmacy technician under this section shall be stored separately from existing inventory until the time the controlled substance is reviewed and countersigned by a pharmacist. Any receipt and storage of a controlled substance by a pharmacy technician pursuant to this section shall be captured on video, and that video shall be made accessible to the supervising pharmacy and maintained by the remote dispensing site pharmacy for 120 days.
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 598, Sec. 5.5. (SB 752) Effective January 1, 2018.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018