| Action Summary | The Board acted on a petition for rulemaking to permit a pharmacist to dispense a quantity of a Schedule VI drug greater than the face amount prescribed, up to the total amount authorized in refills. During the comment period which ended June 29, 2016, the board received one comment which supported the request. Currently a pharmacist may not dispense more than the specific quantity prescribed at each dispensing and may not exceed that quantity by taking authorized refills into consideration. The Board voted unanimously to accept the petition for rulemaking authorizing a pharmacist, when deemed appropriate in his professional judgement and upon request by the patient, to dispense a quantity of a Schedule VI drug, excluding psychotherapeutic drugs, in excess of the specific quantity prescribed for a dispensing, not to exceed the total amount authorized in refills. The Board acted on another petition for rulemaking to amend 18VAC110-20-540, 18VAC110-20-550 and 18VAC110-20-555 to authorize the use of electronic devices in lieu of manual emergency drug kits and stat-drug boxes. The petition states that current regulation does not distinguish between automated dispensing devices being utilized for first dose non-routine administration vs routine drug administration. During the comment period which ended August 31, 2016, the Board received one comment in support of the petition. The Board voted unanimously to accept the petition for rulemaking by amending Regulation 18VAC110-20-555 to specifically authorize the use of an automated dispensing device in a nursing home for obtaining drugs that would be stocked in a stat-drug box and to clarify the quantity of drugs in Schedules II-V that may be stocked in the device for this purpose, and to consider the appropriateness of requiring a provider pharmacy to the nursing home to obtain a controlled substances registration at the location of the facility for the purpose of placing an automated dispensing device in the facility. It was determined it was unnecessary to amend other sections of regulations to achieve the petitioner’s request. |
| Chapters Affected | Only affects this chapter. |
| Executive Branch Review | This action will go through the normal Executive Branch Review process. |
| RIS Project | Yes [004952] |
| Associated Petitions for Rulemaking | |
| New Periodic Review | This action will not be used to conduct a new periodic review. |
| Name / Title: | Caroline Juran, RPh / Executive Director |
| Address: |
9960 Mayland Drive Suite 300 Richmond, VA 23233-1463 |
| Email Address: | caroline.juran@dhp.virginia.gov |
| Phone: | (804)367-4456 FAX: (804)527-4472 TDD: ()- |