An Assessment of State Board of Pharmacy Legal Documents for Public Health Emergency Preparedness

Abstract

Objective. To estimate pharmaceutical emergency preparedness of US states and commonwealth territories. Methods. A quantitative content analysis was performed to evaluate board of pharmacy legal documents (ie, statutes, rules, and regulations) for the presence of the 2006 Rules for Public Health Emergencies (RPHE) from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy's (NABP) Model Pharmacy Practice Act. Results. The median number of state-adopted RPHE was one, which was significantly less than the hypothesized value of four. Rule Two, which recommended policies and procedures for reporting disasters, was adopted significantly more than other RPHE. Ten states incorporated language specific to public health emergency refill dispensing, and among these, only six allowed 30-day refill quantities. Conclusion. Based on the 2006 NABP model rules, it does not appear that states are prepared to expedite an effective pharmaceutical response during a public health emergency. Boards of pharmacy should consider adding the eight RPHE to their state pharmacy practice acts.

Disaster Health Management: Do Pharmacists Fit in the Team?

“…Current legislation allows pharmacists to use their clinical judgement in providing up to (in most countries/states) a three-day emergency supply of essential, on-going medications. Some countries and states have introduced an extension to this legislation, allowing in a state-declared disaster for the three-days to be extended up to 30 days 51 . However, with the limitation of the three-day emergency supply rule in most countries and states, pharmacists are hindered in their ability to ensure continuity of care for patients with chronic diseases as the impact of disasters generally lasts longer than three days.…”

“…However, with the limitation of the three-day emergency supply rule in most countries and states, pharmacists are hindered in their ability to ensure continuity of care for patients with chronic diseases as the impact of disasters generally lasts longer than three days. Some US states have recognized the valuable assistance pharmacists can provide in reducing the large number of patients with chronic diseases presenting to hospital EDs by allowing for temporary amendment to the legislation (eg, extending the three-day emergency supply rule up to 30 days) 51 . A clinical audit of community pharmacies in England discovered emergency supplies were most often accessed by the elderly for long-term chronic conditions 52 .…”

“…Some countries and states have introduced an extension to this legislation, allowing in a state-declared disaster for the three-days to be extended up to 30 days. 51 However, with the limitation of the three-day emergency supply rule in most countries and states, pharmacists are hindered in their ability to ensure continuity of care for patients with chronic diseases as the impact of disasters generally lasts longer than three days. Some US states have recognized the valuable assistance pharmacists can provide in reducing the large number of patients with chronic diseases presenting to hospital EDs by allowing for temporary amendment to the legislation (eg, extending the three-day emergency supply rule up to 30 days).…”

Defining Roles for Pharmacy Personnel in Disaster Response and Emergency Preparedness

“…4 However, nearly one decade later, the median number of rules adopted among all boards was 1, and only one board had adopted all 8 rules. 6 Pharmacists may therefore lack the frameworks and legal authority required to practice in a responsive manner following disasters. Lack of uptake of established guidance was also evident in a 2013 survey of hospital pharmacies in New Jersey, with only 10 of 18 respondents having a pharmacy-specific component to their institutional emergency plan.…”

Biyoterörizm ve Eczacılık Hizmetleri

“…Böyle bir olayla karşılaşılmadan önce sağlık personeline biyolojik ajanlarla oluşacak hastalıkların kliniği, tanısı, profilaksisi, tedavisi, örneklerinin taşınması, bariyer önlemleri ve sağlıklı bireylerin korunması konularını içeren bir eğitim verilmelidir. Sağlık sisteminin önemli bileşenlerinden biri olan eczacılara da diğer acil durumlarda olduğu gibi, biyolojik terörle karşı karşıya kalınması durumunda önemli görevler düşmektedir (13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18). Biyolojik terör saldırısına maruz kalan bireylerin ilk başvuru noktası olacak olan yer hastanelerdir.…”