BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  SB 205
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 21, 2013

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                   SB 205 (Corbett) - As Amended:  August 19, 2013

          Policy Committee:                             HealthVote:12-6
                       Business and Professions         Vote: 9-3

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          Yes    Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires, by January 1, 2016, certain information on  
          prescription labels to be printed in at least 12-point font,  
          including the drug name, directions for use, the patient's name,  
          the dosage, and the purpose of the drug.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Negligible state fiscal effect.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  . The author believes making prescription medical  
            container labels easier for patients to read is a simple way  
            to help avoid dosing or medication errors due to a patient's  
            inability to read the label.  

           2)Background  . Under current law and regulation, pharmacists are  
            required to follow certain standards when labeling  
            prescription medications. Regulations adopted by the Board of  
            Pharmacy pursuant to SB 472 (Corbett), Chapter 470, Statutes  
            of 2007 require some information to be printed in at least  
            10-point font, including the drug name, directions for use,  
            the patient's name, the dosage, and the purpose of the drug.

           3)Related Legislation.  SB 204 (Corbett) requires pharmacists to  
            use translations of the directions for use developed by the  
            Board of Pharmacy when providing translated directions in  
            specified languages. For other languages, pharmacists would be  
            required to use certified translation services. SB 204 is  
            pending in the Assembly Health Committee.








                                                                  SB 205
                                                                  Page  2

                
            4)Prior Legislation  .  SB 472 required the Board to promulgate  
            regulations that require, on or before January 1, 2011, a  
            standardized, patient-centered, prescription drug label on all  
            prescription medication dispensed to patients in California.

           5)Opposition  .  The California Pharmacists Association and the  
            National Association of Chain Drug Stores believe changes to  
            prescription labeling are more appropriately handled in the  
            regulatory process.   They indicate the existing  
            Patient-Centered Labeling Regulations are a product of months  
            of stakeholder discussion and do not believe a change is  
            necessary. 

            The Department of Consumer Affairs also opposes this bill,  
            stating it overrules a regulatory process by the Board of  
            Pharmacy.  DCA also states current regulations are a product  
            of a lengthy examination that satisfied the needs of all  
            stakeholders, and does not believe there is a legitimate need  
            to reopen this issue.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916) 319-2081