Bill Text: NJ A1899 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Expands authority of pharmacy technician in administering drugs and vaccines and permits certain pharmacists and pharmacy interns, externs, and technicians to administer COVID-19 vaccine.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)
Status: (Passed) 2025-02-03 - Approved P.L.2025, c.17. [A1899 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A1899-Amended.html
[Second Reprint]
ASSEMBLY, No. 1899
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman HERB CONAWAY, JR.
District 7 (Burlington)
Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Freiman and Assemblywoman Bagolie
SYNOPSIS
Expands authority of pharmacy technician in administering drugs and vaccines and permits certain pharmacists and pharmacy interns, externs, and technicians to administer COVID-19 vaccine.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee on December 9, 2024, with amendments.
An Act concerning pharmacists and pharmacy interns, externs, and technicians, COVID-19 vaccines, and amending P.L.2003, c.280.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 24 of P.L.2003, c.280 (C.45:14-63) is amended to read as follows:
24. a. No pharmacist shall administer a prescription medication directly to a patient without appropriate education [or certification] and training, as determined by the board in accordance with the requirements set forth in the rules jointly promulgated by the board and the State Board of Medical Examiners. Such medication shall only be for the treatment of a disease for which a nationally certified program is in effect, or as determined by the board, and only if utilized for the treatment of that disease for which the medication is prescribed or indicated or for which the collaborative drug therapy management permits.
b. (1) Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, a pharmacist, pharmacy intern, [or] pharmacy extern, or pharmacy technician may administer drugs to a patient 18 years of age or older, provided the pharmacist, pharmacy intern, [or] pharmacy extern, or pharmacy technician is appropriately educated and qualified, as determined by the board in accordance with the requirements set forth in the rules jointly promulgated by the board and the State Board of Medical Examiners, and provided the drugs are administered under any one of the following conditions:
(a) pursuant to a prescription by an authorized prescriber for a vaccine and related 2medical2 emergency medications;
(b) in immunization programs implemented pursuant to an authorized prescriber's standing order for the vaccine and related 2medical2 emergency medications; or
(c) in immunization programs and programs sponsored by governmental agencies that are not patient specific 1; provided, however, that 2[a pharmacy technician shall not be authorized to administer any medication pursuant to such programs unless the medication is related to the immunization and necessary to respond to an emergency1] the authority to administer drugs pursuant to this subparagraph applies only to the medication authorized for administration under the program and related medical emergency medications2.
(2) 2[A] In addition to the authority provided under paragraph (1) of this subsection, an appropriately educated and qualified2 pharmacist, pharmacy intern, [or] pharmacy extern, or pharmacy technician may administer an influenza vaccine, a COVID-19 vaccine, or both, to a patient who is [seven] five years of age or older. For a patient who is under 18 years of age, a pharmacist, pharmacy intern, [or] pharmacy extern, or pharmacy technician shall not administer a vaccine except with the permission of the patient's parent or legal guardian. [For a patient who is under 10 years of age, a pharmacist, pharmacy intern, or pharmacy extern shall not administer a vaccine unless pursuant to a prescription by an authorized prescriber. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require a patient 10 years of age or older to obtain a prescription for an influenza vaccine.]
(3) 2[A] In addition to the authority provided under paragraph (1) of this subsection, an appropriately educated and qualified2 pharmacy intern [or] , pharmacy extern, or pharmacy technician, as defined by regulation of the New Jersey State Board of Pharmacy, may administer immunizations, as provided in this subsection, to patients by injection or by other delivery method, provided that the pharmacy intern [or] , pharmacy extern, or pharmacy technician is acting under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist who is pre-approved by the New Jersey State Board of Pharmacy to administer vaccines and related emergency medications, and who is in compliance with the rules jointly promulgated by the New Jersey State Board of Pharmacy and the State Board of Medical Examiners.
c. 1[An immunization] All doses of a vaccine1 administered to a patient by a pharmacist, pharmacy intern, [or] pharmacy extern, or pharmacy technician pursuant to this subsection shall be reported 1[by a supervising pharmacist]1 to the New Jersey Immunization Information System established pursuant to section 4 of P.L.2004, c.138 (C.26:4-134) as required pursuant to N.J.A.C.8:57-3.16, for inclusion in the patient's registry.
(cf: P.L.2018, c.143, s.1)
12. The New Jersey State Board of Pharmacy and the State Board of Medical Examiners may adopt regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act, which regulations shall be effective immediately upon filing with the Office of Administrative Law for a period not to exceed 18 months, and may, thereafter, be amended, adopted or readopted in accordance with the provisions of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.).1
1[2.] 3.1 This act shall take effect immediately.
