Bill > HB2444

This bill allows pharmacists in Arizona, under a statewide written protocol approved by the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy, to independently order, perform, and interpret tests for certain health conditions, including influenza, strep throat, COVID-19 and other coronavirus respiratory illnesses, and HIV pre-exposure or post-exposure prophylaxis, as well as conditions identified as public health threats. Pharmacists can also initiate treatment for eligible individuals, generally aged six and older, based on these test results, provided the tests are authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and waived under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA), a federal law that sets quality standards for laboratory testing. The bill outlines specific requirements for the statewide protocol, including documentation, record-keeping, patient screening, exclusion criteria, treatment guidelines, and pharmacist training. Pharmacists must use evidence-based clinical guidelines for treatment and are required to refer patients to their primary care provider if they are not eligible for treatment, do not respond to treatment, or if an adverse reaction occurs. They must also notify the patient's primary care provider of any initiated treatment or adverse reactions within specific timeframes, and maintain records for seven years. The bill also permits pharmacists to delegate certain testing tasks to supervised pharmacy staff, prohibits independent opioid treatment, requires written consent for treating minors, and mandates that pharmacies inform patients that testing and treatment are performed by a pharmacist without physician oversight. Additionally, an advisory committee will be established to help develop these protocols, with members including pharmacists, physicians, a patient advocate, and a nurse practitioner, and this advisory committee provision will be repealed on December 31, 2027.

Health and Social Services

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/84216