BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1073
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Date of Hearing: May 6, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
1073 (Ting) - As Amended April 28, 2015
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable:
No
SUMMARY:
This bill requires the Board of Pharmacy (BOP) to post
translated standardized directions for use in at least five
languages, other than English, on its website, requires
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pharmacists to provide these directions to patients with limited
English proficiency, and limits the liability against pharmacies
if the inaccurate standardized translations are provided to a
patient.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Minor and absorbable costs to the BOP.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. The purpose of this bill is to mandate pharmacists
provide translated directions on prescription bottles.
2)Background. Current law requires the BOP to develop
standardized, patient-centered prescription labels. In 2010,
the BOP adopted regulations to require directions for use and
standard font types and sizes on the labels of prescription
drug containers. The regulations also require pharmacies to
provide oral translation services.
The BOP also publishes on its website standardized and
translated directions for use in at least five languages other
than English including, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Spanish and
Vietnamese. But these translations have not been widely
adopted by pharmacies due to concerns about liability, in the
event that there are errors in the translated materials that
pharmacy staff may be unable to detect. This bill allows
immunity from liability for pharmacies that use the translated
standardized directions provided by the BOP.
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Analysis Prepared by:Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916)
319-2081