Bill Text: CT HB05782 | 2015 | General Assembly | Comm Sub
Bill Title: An Act Authorizing Pharmacists To Dispense Or Administer Opioid Antagonists.
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-04-13 - File Number 571 [HB05782 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2015-HB05782-Comm_Sub.html
General Assembly |
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January Session, 2015 |
*_____HB05782PH____032615____* |
AN ACT AUTHORIZING PHARMACISTS TO DISPENSE OR ADMINISTER OPIOID ANTAGONISTS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) A person who is licensed as a pharmacist under chapter 400j of the general statutes and is certified in accordance with subsection (b) of this section may dispense or administer, in good faith, an opioid antagonist, as defined in section 17a-714a of the general statutes, as amended by this act. Upon dispensing or administering an opioid antagonist pursuant to this section, such pharmacist shall (1) provide appropriate training regarding the administration of such opioid antagonist to the person to whom the opioid antagonist is dispensed, and (2) maintain a written record of such dispensing, administering and training.
(b) A pharmacist may only dispense or administer an opioid antagonist pursuant to this section if the pharmacist has been trained and certified to dispense and administer an opioid antagonist pursuant to a program approved by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection.
(c) A pharmacist who dispenses or administers an opioid antagonist in compliance with this section shall not be deemed to have violated the standard of care for a pharmacist.
(d) The provisions of this section shall apply only to a pharmacist who has been trained and certified to dispense and administer an opioid antagonist pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. No pharmacist may delegate or direct any other person to dispense or administer an opioid antagonist unless such person is a pharmacist who has been trained and certified pursuant to said subsection.
(e) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection may adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54 of the general statutes, to implement the provisions of this section.
Sec. 2. Section 17a-714a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) For purposes of this section, "opioid antagonist" means naloxone hydrochloride or any other similarly acting and equally safe drug approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of drug overdose.
(b) A licensed health care professional who is permitted by law to prescribe, dispense or administer an opioid antagonist may [, if acting with reasonable care,] prescribe, dispense or administer an opioid antagonist to any individual to treat or prevent a drug overdose without being liable for damages in a civil action or subject to criminal prosecution for prescribing, dispensing or administering such opioid antagonist or for any subsequent use of such opioid antagonist. Except as provided in subsection (c) of section 1 of this act with respect to the standard of care for a pharmacist, a licensed health care professional who prescribes, dispenses or administers an opioid antagonist in accordance with the provisions of this subsection shall not be deemed to have violated the standard of care for such licensed health care professional.
(c) Any person, who in good faith believes that another person is experiencing an opioid-related drug overdose may, if acting with reasonable care, administer an opioid antagonist to such other person. Any person, other than a licensed health care professional acting in the ordinary course of such person's employment, who administers an opioid antagonist in accordance with this subsection shall not be liable for damages in a civil action or subject to criminal prosecution with respect to the administration of such opioid antagonist.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: | ||
Section 1 |
from passage |
New section |
Sec. 2 |
from passage |
17a-714a |
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In Section 1(c), "any standard" was changed to "the standard", in section 1(d), "said" was deleted and in section 2(b), "Except as provided in subsection (c) of section 1 of this act with respect to the standard of care for a pharmacist," was added. The changes were made for accuracy, consistency and proper form.
GL |
Joint Favorable C/R |
PH |
PH |
Joint Favorable Subst.-LCO |