BILL ANALYSIS
SB 470
Page 1
Date of Hearing: June 30, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS
Mary Hayashi, Chair
SB 470 (Corbett) - As Amended: April 30, 2009
SENATE VOTE : 37-1
SUBJECT : Prescriptions.
SUMMARY : Requires a prescription to include the purpose for
which a drug is being prescribed, if requested by a patient, and
requires a pharmacist to include on a prescription drug label
the condition or purpose for which the drug was prescribed if
the condition or purpose is indicated on the prescription.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Provides for the licensure and regulation of pharmacies,
pharmacists and wholesalers of dangerous drugs or devices by
the California State Board of Pharmacy (Board) in the
Department of Consumer Affairs.
2)Requires dispensed prescription drugs to be stored in
specified containers and correctly labeled with the following
information:
a) The trade name of the drug or the generic and the name
of the manufacturer;
b) The directions for the use of the drug;
c) The name of the patient;
d) The name of the prescriber;
e) The date of issue;
f) The name and address of the pharmacy and the
prescription number;
g) The strength of the drug;
SB 470
Page 2
h) The quantity of the drug or drugs dispensed;
i) The expiration date of the effectiveness of the drug;
and,
j) The condition for which the drug was prescribed if
requested by the patient and the condition is indicated on
the prescription.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
Purpose of this bill . According to the author's office, "SB 470
would allow consumers to request that the condition or purpose
for which their medication has been prescribed be included on
their prescription drug label.
"In 2007, as a result of SB 472 (Corbett), Chapter 470, Statutes
of 2007, the Board was charged with standardizing the
prescription drug label to make it patient-centered. As part of
this mandate, the Board was required to seek information from
specified groups and to consider this information in the
development of these requirements. The Board has held public
meetings, attended community events and conducted consumer
surveys designed to elicit information from consumers. A
majority of those consumers who were surveyed have so far
expressed a desire to have the purpose of the medication
included on the label. This finding builds upon an earlier
recommendation stemming from the SCR 49 (Speier, 2005) panel
report which also recommended that the purpose be included."
Background . According to a 2008 study published in the Journal
of the American Medical Association, a significant percent of
adults cannot understand basic information on prescription drug
labels. Families USA reports that 90% of Medicare patients take
medications for chronic conditions with nearly half of them
taking five or more medications a day.
Current law requires a prescription to include the condition for
which a drug prescribed if requested by the patient. This bill
would require a prescription to include the condition or purpose
for which a drug is prescribed, if asked, which must also be
included on the prescription label from the pharmacist. Because
a single condition may be treated by numerous drugs, including
SB 470
Page 3
the purpose (pain, for example) for which a drug is taken may
decrease patient confusion and decrease medical errors.
Previous legislation .
SB 472 (Corbett), Chapter 470, Statutes of 2007, required the
Board of Pharmacy to promulgate regulations that require a
standardized, patient-centered, prescription drug label on all
prescription medication dispensed to patients in California.
SCR 49 (Speier), Res. Chapter 123, Statutes of 2005, created a
panel to study the causes of medication errors and recommend
changes in the health care system that reduces errors associated
with the delivery of prescription and over the counter
medication to consumers.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California State Board of Pharmacy (sponsor)
California Alliance for Retired Americans
California Medical Association
California Pan Ethnic Health Network
California Retailers Association
California Society of Health-System Pharmacists
Kaiser Permanente
National Association of Chain Drug Stores
Pharmacy Foundation of California
UCSF School of Pharmacy
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Sarah Huchel / B. & P. / (916) 319-3301