A new Indiana law – House Bill 1207 – will help patients benefit even more from their pharmacies – through ready access to a lifesaving drug and assuring pharmacists have more time for patient-care services by better utilizing pharmacy technicians. NACDS is lauding the bill’s enactment, and is urging the state’s continued focus on pharmacy issues that are essential for effective COVID-19 response.
The new law allows a pharmacist to substitute for a patient a therapeutic alternative for epinephrine products. It also requires the Department of Health to issue a statewide standing order for the dispensing of auto-injectable epinephrine. Epinephrine is a drug used to treat severe allergic reactions.
This new law, signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb (R), also allows a pharmacist to delegate additional tasks to pharmacy technicians to be performed under the supervision of the pharmacist.
“With this law, Indiana has helped to advance the practice of pharmacy for the benefit of patients throughout the state.”
— NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE.
“With this law, Indiana has helped to advance the practice of pharmacy for the benefit of patients throughout the state,” said NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE. “Better utilizing the pharmacy technician workforce in the state will allow pharmacists to focus on patient care services, such as providing epinephrine, and leverages all pharmacy team members to improve patient care and meeting increasing demands. The advances made in this new law will benefit patients in normal and extreme circumstances alike. We continue to urge all states to continue to make important changes to pharmacy policy during the COVID-19 pandemic to remove barriers on pharmacies and pharmacists so they can best help those affected by COVID-19 and by those with other health concerns who may confront an overwhelmed healthcare system.”
NACDS recognized the legislative leadership of the bill’s primary sponsor and pharmacist, Representative Steven Davisson (R); the Senate sponsor and pharmacist Senator Ron Grooms (R); Chair of the House Public Health Committee, Representative Cindy Kirchhofer (R); Chair of the Senate Health and Provider Services Committee, Senator Ed Charbonneau (R); and the distinguished Conference Committee Conferees and Advisors.
NACDS also acknowledged the leadership of the Indiana Pharmacists Association, the Community Pharmacies of Indiana, and NACDS member companies. Special thanks to the Indiana State Medical Association for support of affordable prescription drugs for patients and the Indiana Retail Council for support of expanding access to lifesaving epinephrine.
This is the second new pro-patient and pro-pharmacy law in Indiana that NACDS has praised in as many weeks. NACDS hailed the enactment of Senate Bill 241, which will help to assure patient access by preserving the viability of pharmacies. That law helps to ensure pharmacies are more fairly and properly reimbursed by requiring payers’ pharmacy contracts to have clearly defined drug pricing and reimbursement methodologies and audit practices.
