BILL ANALYSIS
SB 470
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 470 (Corbett)
As Amended April 30, 2009
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :37-1
HEALTH 19-0 BUSINESS & PROFESSIONS 10-0
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|Ayes:|Jones, Fletcher, |Ayes:|Hayashi, Emmerson, |
| |Villines, Ammiano, Block, | |Conway, Eng, Hernandez, |
| |Carter, Conway, Hill, | |Nava, Niello, |
| |De Leon, Emmerson, | |John A. Perez, Ruskin, |
| |Gaines, Hall, Hayashi, | |Smyth |
| |Hernandez, | | |
| |Bonnie Lowenthal, Nava, | | |
| |V. Manuel Perez, Salas, | | |
| |Audra Strickland | | |
| | | | |
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APPROPRIATIONS 15-0
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|Ayes:|De Leon, Nielsen, |
| |Ammiano, |
| |Charles Calderon, Coto, |
| |Davis, Duvall, Fuentes, |
| |Hall, Harkey, Miller, |
| |John A. Perez, Skinner, |
| |Audra Strickland, |
| |Torlakson |
| | |
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SUMMARY : Permits, if requested by the patient, the purpose of
the prescribed medication to be listed on a prescription drug
label.
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.
SB 470
Page 2
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;
h) The quantity of the drug or drugs dispensed;
i) The expiration date of the effectiveness of the drug;
j) The condition for which the drug was prescribed, if
requested by the patient and the condition is indicated on
the prescription; and,
aa) The physical description of the drug, including its
color, shape, and any identification code that appears on
the tablets or capsule, except as follows:
i) Prescriptions dispensed by a veterinarian;
ii) Prescriptions for a new drug, as specified; or,
iii) Dispensed medications for which no physical
description exists in any commercially available
database.
3)Requires the Board to promulgate regulations that require a
standardized, patient-centered, prescription drug label on all
prescription medication dispensed to patients in California by
SB 470
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January 1, 2010.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS : Under existing law, prescription drug labels must
include specified information. In addition, the label may
include the condition for which the drug was prescribed to be
listed if the patient requests. According to the author, this
bill allows the purpose as an alternative. The author states
that when there are a large number of prescriptions, it is not
easily discernible what the purpose for each is, which increases
the chance that a patient may take the wrong medication.
According to the Board, sponsor of this bill, having the purpose
on the label better communicates to patients how to take the
medication and will improve adherence to the directions. The
Board also points out that there are many drugs with similar
sounding names. The Board contends that if the purpose is on
the label, it is more likely that an error caused by a mix-up
will be discovered or prevented. The Board also asserts that
allowing purpose as an alternative to condition gives more
flexibility to the prescriber and will allow for information
that is most useful to the patient. Finally, according to the
author, this bill is in response to public input from consumers.
In SB 472 (Corbett), Chapter 470, Statutes of 2007, the Board is
charged with standardizing the prescription drug label to make
it patient-centered. SB 472 requires the Board to seek
information from specified groups and to consider the
information gathered in developing the requirements. According
to the Board, a standardized label format will be developed by
January 2011. The implementing regulations are expected by
January 2010. If this bill is enacted, the Board reports that
it will implement it as part of that process.
Analysis Prepared by : Cassie Rafanan / HEALTH / (916)
319-2097 FN: 0001986