BILL NUMBER: SB 1390	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 5, 2010

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Corbett

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2010

   An act to amend Section 4076.5 of the Business and Professions
Code, relating to pharmacy.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1390, as amended, Corbett. Prescription drug labels.
   Existing law, the Pharmacy Law, provides for the licensure and
regulation of the practice of pharmacy by the California State Board
of Pharmacy. Existing law requires 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.
   This bill would authorize the board to exempt  from these
regulatory requirements  certain prescriptions dispensed to
patients in a long-term  health  care facility  from
these regulatory requirements  .
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 4076.5 of the Business and Professions Code is
amended to read:
   4076.5.  (a) The board shall promulgate regulations that require,
on or before January 1, 2011, a standardized, patient-centered,
prescription drug label on all prescription medicine dispensed to
patients in California.
   (b) To ensure maximum public comment, the board shall hold public
meetings statewide that are separate from its normally scheduled
hearings in order to seek information from groups representing
consumers, seniors, pharmacists or the practice of pharmacy, other
health care professionals, and other interested parties.
   (c) When developing the requirements for prescription drug labels,
the board shall consider all of the following factors:
   (1) Medical literacy research that points to increased
understandability of labels.
   (2) Improved directions for use.
   (3) Improved font types and sizes.
   (4) Placement of information that is patient-centered.
   (5) The needs of patients with limited English proficiency.
   (6) The needs of senior citizens.
   (7) Technology requirements necessary to implement the standards.
   (d) The board may exempt  certain   from the
requirements of regulations promulgated pursuant to subdivision (a)
 prescriptions dispensed to  patients   a
patient  in a long-term  health  care facility 
from the requirements of the regulations promulgated pursuant to
subdivision (a).   if the prescriptions are administered
by a licensed health care professional. Prescriptions dispensed to a
patient in a long-term health care facility that will not be
administered by a licensed health care professional or that are
provided to the patient upon discharge from   the facility
shall be subject to the requirements of this sectionand the
associated regulations. As used in this subdivision, "long-term
health care facility" has the meaning as defined in Section 1418 of
the Health and Safety Code. 
   (e) (1) On or before January 1, 2010, the board shall report to
the Legislature on its progress under this section as of the time of
the report.
   (2) On or before January 1, 2013, the board shall report to the
Legislature the status of implementation of the prescription drug
label requirements adopted pursuant to this section.
                                             ____ CORRECTIONS
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