Bill > SB1658

This bill, titled the "Informed Consent and Medical Transparency Act," establishes new requirements for drug manufacturers, hospitals, and healthcare providers in Oklahoma to ensure patients can make truly informed medical decisions. It mandates that drug manufacturers must create and distribute plain-language summaries of known or suspected side effects or adverse events that are important for informed consent, even if rare but serious, and update these summaries as new safety information becomes available, providing them to the State Board of Pharmacy for public posting and to healthcare professionals. Hospitals, healthcare facilities, and licensed healthcare providers are then required to give these summaries to patients or their guardians before administering or prescribing any drug, vaccine, or biologic, and must document and report suspected adverse events to the State Board of Pharmacy within ten business days. The bill also creates liability for entities that suppress or retaliate against employees for reporting such events, and allows individuals harmed by a lack of informed consent due to noncompliance to sue for damages, with broad discovery rules favoring transparency. Furthermore, the Attorney General or district attorneys can take action under the Oklahoma Consumer Protection Act for patterns of noncompliance, and the bill emphasizes its intent to promote transparency and informed decision-making without conflicting with federal regulations or dictating specific treatments.

Health and Social Services

http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=sb1658&Session=2600