BILL ANALYSIS
AB 521
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Date of Hearing: May 14, 2003
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Darrell Steinberg, Chair
AB 521 (Diaz) - As Amended: April 22, 2003
Policy Committee: HealthVote:14-8
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill:
1)Broadens an existing requirement that pharmacists inform
patients, orally or in writing, of the harmful effects of a
prescription drug if the drug poses substantial risk to the
patient when taken with alcohol, to also requires such notice
when the drug is taken in combination with other medications,
including prescription and nonprescription drugs.
2)Requires the notice, if provided in writing, to be printed in
at least 12-point type whenever the drug poses a substantial
risk of harm to the person consuming the drug if taken in
combination with alcohol or other medications, including
prescription and nonprescription drugs.
3)Makes the changes made by this bill operative January 1, 2005.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Minor, absorbable costs to the Board of Pharmacy.
2)Unknown increased costs-likely less than $150,000-to
state-contracting pharmacies, health plans and pharmacy
benefit managers to revise their forms to meet the 12-point
type requirement, and to include additional information about
the interaction of the prescribed prescription drug with other
prescription and non-prescription drugs. This information can
be provided orally or in writing.
COMMENTS
AB 521
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1)Purpose . According to the author, this bill is necessary
because the inappropriate use of prescription drugs is a
problem that is particularly acute for the elderly. The
elderly use more prescription drugs than any other age group
and are more likely to take multiple prescription drugs, which
increases the probability of adverse drug reactions. The
additional information required by this bill will provide
valuable information in a format that can be more easily read.
2)Background . Existing law requires the pharmacist to inform
the patient (orally or in writing) if the prescribed drug
poses a substantial risk to the person consuming the drug when
taken in combination with alcohol, or if the drug may impair a
person's ability to drive a motor vehicle. This bill would
broaden that notice to include when the drug is taken in
combination with other medications, including both
prescription and nonprescription drugs. Existing regulations
require pharmacists to provide oral consultation to the
patient or the patient's agent in any care setting whenever
there is a new prescription for a patient, or whenever a new
dosage or strength is dispensed by the pharmacy.
3)Opposition . The California Pharmacists Association (CPhA)
argues that this bill will impose significant new costs on
pharmacies without a commensurate benefit to the public. CPhA
believes that this issue can be better addressed by greater
enforcement of the existing consultation requirements on
pharmacists and by greater awareness of this requirement on
the part of consumers.
Analysis Prepared by : Scott Bain / APPR. / (916) 319-2081