Petition Information | |
---|---|
Petition Title | Requirement for non-resident pharmacy to remotely process a prescription |
Date Filed | 8/24/2007 |
Petitioner | Ken Dandurand on behalf of MedNovations |
Petitioner's Request | Amend regulations to allow a non-resident pharmacy to remotely process a prescription for a Virginia patient in long-term care or a hospital by pharmacists not licensed in Virginia but licensed in the state where the non-resident pharmacy is located. |
Agency's Plan | The Board will review public comment and decide whether to initiate rulemaking at its meeting on December 12, 2007. |
Comment Period | Ended 10/31/2007 0 comments |
Agency Decision | Take no action |
Response Date | 12/12/2007 |
Agency Decision Summary | The Board has denied the petition because it believes a requirement for a Virginia pharmacist to be involved in the dispensing process is necessary for public protection and for accountability in a case of prescription error. There are differences in statutes and regulations governing the practice of pharmacy, so pharmacists who provide prescription processing for hospitals and long-term care facilities from remote locations need to be familiar with Virginia requirements for a prescription. Obtaining a license in Virginia is not burdensome but it does require passage of a jurisprudence examination, assuring familiarity with Virginia laws and regulations. The petitioner cited section 276 on remote processing of a prescription for retail pharmacies, but subsection B of that section does require that "a pharmacist licensed in Virginia, whether at the remote pharmacy or the dispensing pharmacy, shall perform a check for accuracy on all processing done by the remote processor." The Board believes patients in hospitals and nursing homes should have the same protection. |