(a) A pharmacist may dispense not more than a 90-day supply of a dangerous drug other than a controlled substance pursuant to a valid prescription that specifies an initial quantity of less than a 90-day supply followed by periodic refills of that amount if all of the following requirements are satisfied:
(1) The patient has completed an initial 30-day supply of the dangerous drug.
(2) The total quantity of dosage units dispensed does not exceed the total quantity of dosage units authorized by the prescriber on the prescription, including refills.
(3) The prescriber has not specified on the prescription that dispensing the prescription in an initial amount followed by periodic refills is medically necessary.
(4) The pharmacist is exercising his or her professional judgment.
(b) For purposes of this section, if the prescription continues the same medication as previously dispensed in a 90-day supply, the initial 30-day supply under paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) is not required.
(c) A pharmacist dispensing an increased supply of a dangerous drug pursuant to this section shall notify the prescriber of the increase in the quantity of dosage units dispensed.
(d) In no case shall a pharmacist dispense a greater supply of a dangerous drug pursuant to this section if the prescriber personally indicates, either orally or in his or her own handwriting, “No change to quantity,” or words of similar meaning. Nothing in this subdivision shall prohibit a prescriber from checking a box on a prescription marked “No change to quantity,” provided that the prescriber personally initials the box or checkmark. To indicate that an increased supply shall not be dispensed pursuant to this section for an electronic data transmission prescription as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 4040, a prescriber may indicate “No change to quantity,” or words of similar meaning, in the prescription as transmitted by electronic data, or may check a box marked on the prescription “No change to quantity.” In either instance, it shall not be required that the prohibition on an increased supply be manually initialed by the prescriber.
(e) This section shall not apply to psychotropic medication or psychotropic drugs as described in subdivision (d) of Section 369.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(f) Except for the provisions of subdivision (d), this section does not apply to FDA-approved, self-administered hormonal contraceptives.
(1) A pharmacist shall dispense, at a patient’s request, up to a 12-month supply of an FDA-approved, self-administered hormonal contraceptive pursuant to a valid prescription that specifies an initial quantity followed by periodic refills.
(2) A pharmacist furnishing an FDA-approved, self-administered hormonal contraceptive pursuant to Section 4052.3 under protocols developed by the Board of Pharmacy may furnish, at the patient’s request, up to a 12-month supply at one time.
(3) Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to require a pharmacist to dispense or furnish a drug if it would result in a violation of Section 733.
(g) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a health care service plan, health insurer, workers’ compensation insurance plan, pharmacy benefits manager, or any other person or entity, including, but not limited to, a state program or state employer, to provide coverage for a dangerous drug in a manner inconsistent with a beneficiary’s plan benefit.
(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 499, Sec. 2. (SB 999) Effective January 1, 2017.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018