AN ACT CONCERNING PRESCRIPTIONS FOR AND THE DISPENSING OF OPIOID ANTAGONISTS AND OPIOID DRUGS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) A prescribing practitioner, as defined in section 20-14c of the general statutes, who is authorized to prescribe an opioid antagonist, as defined in section 17a-714a of the general statutes, may, by standing order issued to a pharmacist licensed under part II of chapter 400j of the general statutes, prescribe an opioid antagonist that is (1) administered by an intranasal application delivery system or an auto-injection delivery system, (2) approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration, and (3) dispensed by the pharmacist to any person at risk of experiencing an overdose of an opioid drug, as defined in 42 CFR 8.2, or to a family member, friend or other person in a position to assist a person at risk of experiencing an overdose of an opioid drug. Any such prescription shall be regarded as being issued for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of the prescribing practitioner's professional practice. For purposes of this section and section 20-633c of the general statutes, as amended by this act, "standing order" means a nonpatient specific prescription for an opioid antagonist that is administered by an intranasal application delivery system or an auto-injection delivery system and approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration.

(b) A pharmacist who agrees to accept a standing order issued under subsection (a) of this section and dispenses an opioid antagonist in accordance with the provisions of said subsection shall be deemed not to have violated any standard of care for a pharmacist.

Sec. 2. Section 20-633c of the 2016 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) (1) A person who is licensed as a pharmacist under part II of this chapter and is certified in accordance with subsection (b) of this section may prescribe, in good faith, an opioid antagonist, as defined in section 17a-714a. Such pharmacist shall [(1)] (A) provide appropriate training regarding the administration of such opioid antagonist to the person to whom the opioid antagonist is dispensed, and [(2)] (B) maintain a record of such dispensing and the training required pursuant to this chapter.

(2) A person who is licensed as a pharmacist under part II of this chapter may dispense, in good faith, an opioid antagonist, as defined in section 17a-714a, that is administered by an intranasal application delivery system or an auto-injection delivery system, pursuant to a standing order issued under section 1 of this act.

(b) A pharmacist may only prescribe an opioid antagonist pursuant to this section if the pharmacist has been trained and certified by a program approved by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection.

(c) A pharmacist who prescribes or dispenses an opioid antagonist in compliance with this section shall be deemed not to have violated any standard of care for a pharmacist.

(d) The provisions of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section shall apply only to a pharmacist certified in accordance with subsection (b) of this section. No pharmacist may delegate or direct any other person to (1) prescribe an opioid antagonist, or (2) train any person in the administration of such opioid antagonist pursuant to the provisions of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section.

(e) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection may adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to implement the provisions of this section.

Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) As used in this section:

(1) "Opioid drug" has the same meaning as provided in 42 CFR 8.2;

(2) "Adult" means a person who is at least eighteen years of age;

(3) "Prescribing practitioner" has the same meaning as provided in section 20-14c of the general statutes;

(4) "Minor" means a person who is under eighteen years of age;

(5) "Opioid agonist" means a medication that binds to the opiate receptors and provides relief to individuals in treatment for abuse of or dependence on an opioid drug;

(6) "Opiate receptor" means a specific site on a cell surface that interacts in a highly selective fashion with an opioid drug;

(7) "Palliative care" means specialized medical care to improve the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with a life-threatening illness; and

(8) "Opioid antagonist" has the same meaning as provided in section 17a-714a of the general statutes.

(b) When issuing a prescription for an opioid drug to an adult patient for the first time for outpatient use, a prescribing practitioner who is authorized to prescribe an opioid drug shall not issue a prescription for more than a seven-day supply of such drug, as recommended in the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain.

(c) A prescribing practitioner shall not issue a prescription for an opioid drug to a minor for more than a seven-day supply of such drug at any time and, when issuing a prescription for an opioid drug to a minor for less than a seven-day supply of such drug, shall discuss the risks associated with use of an opioid drug and the reasons why the prescription is necessary with the custodial parent, guardian or other person having legal custody of the minor.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of this section, if, in the professional medical judgment of a prescribing practitioner, more than a seven-day supply of an opioid drug is required to treat an adult patient's or minor patient's acute medical condition, as determined by the prescribing practitioner, or is necessary for the treatment of chronic pain, pain associated with a cancer diagnoses or for palliative care, then the prescribing practitioner may issue a prescription for the quantity needed to treat the acute medical condition, chronic pain, pain associated with a cancer diagnosis or pain experienced while the patient is in palliative care. The condition triggering the prescription of an opioid drug for more than a seven-day supply shall be documented in the patient's medical record and the practitioner shall indicate that an alternative to the opioid drug was not appropriate to address the medical condition.

(e) The provisions of subsections (b), (c) and (d) of this section shall not apply to medications designed for the treatment of abuse of or dependence on an opioid drug, including, but not limited to, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists.