West Virginia Relaxes Proposed Rules For Dispensing Drugs At No-Cost Clinic Pharmacies

The West Virginia Board of Pharmacy has relaxed proposed rules for pharmacies at no-cost clinics that critics said would have jeopardized the prescription drug programs at the state's clinic network, the Charleston Gazette reports. The proposed rules would have required clinics to designate a "pharmacist in charge" and would have required a pharmacist or pharmacy technician be at the clinic whenever a doctor was dispensing drugs.

The changes will allow doctors, dentists, physician assistants and other state-licensed health practitioners to fill, refill, check and dispense prescriptions even when a pharmacist or pharmacy technician is not present. In addition, pharmacy technicians will be permitted to process and fill prescriptions without a pharmacist present but will not be able dispense the drugs. In addition, the pharmacy board added a provision that would exempt no-cost clinic pharmacies from any state law that restricts who might receive drug samples from manufacturers. The final proposal will be presented to the state Legislature in January 2009.

David Potters, the pharmacy board's director, said, "We listened to the public comments, and we tried to make changes that we feel appropriately addressed the concerns," adding, "We wanted to work with the free clinics to allow them to continue to the good and valuable service they provide." Pat White, director of West Virginia Health Right, said, "This is a step in the right direction, but there still are some issues."

According to the Gazette, thousands of low-income, uninsured state residents visit the clinic pharmacies to receive no-cost drugs for chronic conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Narcotics and highly regulated drugs are not available at the clinics (Eyre, Charleston Gazette, 9/4).


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