Recent Rule and Law Changes
2020
HB2251 (amends RCW 69.41.103) the law extends the notification requirement for pharmacists substituting interchangeable biological products from August 1, 2020, to August 1, 2025.
SSB 6061 (amends RCW 43.70.945) Beginning January 1, 2021, pharmacists who provide clinical services through telemedicine, other than physicians and osteopathic physicians, must
complete either a telemedicine training made available by the telemedicine collaborative; or an alternative telemedicine training developed by a health professional board or commission. Pharmacist must sign and retain an attestation that they completed the training.
SHB2378 Eliminates the osteopathic physician assistant profession. Amends the definition of practitioner in RCW 69.50.101 and RCW 69.41.030, effective July 1, 2022.
E2SSB6087 Cost sharing requirements for coverage of insulin products. The Health Care Authority will monitor the price of insulin.
ESHB2662 Reducing the total cost of Insulin. Establishes work group to include the pharmacy commission and association representing independent pharmacies, chain pharmacies, and others to review and design strategies to reduce the cost of and total expenditures on insulin.
SSB6086 (RCW 18.64.600) The license of location for a pharmacy may be extended to a registered remote dispensing site that uses technology to dispense federally-approved medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder. The pharmacy must register each remote dispensing site with the pharmacy commission. The commission must adopt rules.
SSB6088 Establishes the Prescription Drug Affordability Board (subject to appropriations).
SSB6526 (18.64.610 and 69.70.110 ) the pharmacy commission will adopt rules allowing
the DOC pharmacy to accept returns of unit dose packages, or full or partial multiple dose
medication cards, from the facilities it serves and reuse the unexpired medication. The commission may also adopt rules to allow for the safe donation of prescription drugs, including but not limited to allowing pharmacy to pharmacy donations
2019
RCW 18.64.360 – Nonresident pharmacies. As a prerequisite to licensure and renewal, nonresident pharmacies must provide a copy of an inspection that has taken place within the last two years. The inspection must be conducted by a program approved by the commission as having substantially similar standards as those conducted by the commission.
RCW 69.50.312 – Opioid Use Disorder treatment, prevention and related services. Specific to pharmacy practice, the law allows partial fill of opioids, and permits pharmacist to dispense opioid overdose reversal medication per a collaborative drug therapy agreement, standing order, or protocol. The Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission will no longer approve electronic prescription communication systems in use in Washington. The electronic communicated prescription information must comply with state and federal laws, rules and regulations regard the form, content, recordkeeping, and processing. Additionally, effective January 21, 2021 all prescriptions issued for controlled substances shall be transmitted electronically. The law includes exemptions as well as a waiver process. A pharmacist receiving a written, oral or faxed prescription is not required to verify that a prescription meets any exemptions and may continue to dispense and deliver the medication.
RCW 18.64.253 – The law allows pharmacy interns as well as students of nursing, osteopath, and medicine to provide volunteer services direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist, licensed allopathic or osteopathic physician, registered nurse, or advanced registered nurse practitioner; provided the services are within the scope of practice of the student and the supervisor. Additional conditions apply.
WAC 246-901-130 – Pharmacist to pharmacy technician ratio. The rule eliminates the standard ratio of 3 technicians to one pharmacist for all practice settings. The rule will allow responsible pharmacy managers to use their professional judgment to determine the appropriate staffing levels for their practice setting. Staffing levels must ensure satisfactory supervision of ancillary personnel for the safe and appropriate delivery of patient care. Effective September 14, 2019.
Chapter 246-873A Hospital Pharmacy Associated Clinics (emergency rules) (PDF) – effective July 22, 2019.