Bill > HB195

This bill expands the authority of pharmacists in Alaska by allowing them to prescribe and administer certain controlled substances, including those for opioid use disorder treatment, and to provide patient care services under collaborative practice agreements with physicians. It also clarifies that the state board of pharmacy cannot charge fees for these agreements, require their approval, or dictate the specific services a pharmacist can provide under them, while also defining "patient care services" to include medical care for compensation aimed at curing, preventing, or managing diseases or symptoms. Additionally, the bill mandates that pharmacists seeking licensure by examination or through reciprocity must complete education on pain management and opioid use and addiction, unless they can demonstrate they do not hold a federal Drug Enforcement Administration registration number, and requires continuing education on this topic for license renewal, with exemptions for those whose practice doesn't involve pain management or who lack such a registration. The bill also amends existing law to include the independent prescribing and administration of drugs and devices under a pharmacist's practice and specifies that collaborative practice agreements must be with a practitioner who is not a pharmacist. Finally, it sets an effective date of January 1, 2027, for these changes.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=HB195