Relating to the practice of pharmacy, including the prescription and administration of vaccines and collaborative pharmacy practice

This bill relates to the ordering, prescribing, and administration of certain drugs to patients by pharmacists. With respect to patients years and older, and pursuant to statewide protocols, the bill removes the authority of pharmacists to order and administer nicotine replacement products and Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) vaccinations in a booster application and allows pharmacists to order and administer testing and treatment for influenza, streptococcus A, and COVID-19 as defined in the bill at the point-of-care testing between a pharmacist and a patient. The bill also removes the authority of pharmacists to order and administer the final two doses in a course of vaccinations for HPV (human papilloma virus) to patients years of age and older. The bill allows a pharmacist to prescribe and administer to patients three years of age and older all of the following: 1) an immunization or vaccination recommended by the United States centers for disease control and prevention advisory committee on immunization practices in its approved vaccination schedule, including those related to COVID-19, 2) an immunization or vaccination recommended by the United States centers for disease control and prevention for international travel, 3) vaccines currently licensed for use in the United States on the list issued by the United States food and drug administration, and 4) other emergency immunizations or vaccinations in response to a public health emergency. Current law permits pharmacists to order and administer such immunizations and vaccinations to patients age years and older pursuant to statewide protocols. The bill allows a pharmacist to prescribe and administer a vaccine or immunization for influenza and other emergency immunizations or vaccines in response to a public health emergency to patients ages six months and older. The bill allows a pharmacist to engage in a collaborative pharmacy practice under a collaborative pharmacy practice agreement to provide patient care and drug therapy management services to a patient. The bill allows a health carrier to pay for a service provided by a pharmacist under a collaborative pharmacy practice agreement if the health benefit plan provides for payment or reimbursement for a service when the service is within the lawful scope of practice of a practitioner or pharmacist.