What's happening
This bill expands pharmacists' authority to dispense or distribute epinephrine auto-injectors to a broader range of individuals and entities.
Why it matters
Broadens access to epinephrine auto-injectors by allowing pharmacists to dispense or distribute them (directly or indirectly) to a much wider range of individuals and organizations—not just schools and camps, but potentially any venue where an allergic reaction could occur. This could mean greater preparedness in public spaces like restaurants, shopping centers, and event venues.
Empowers more non-medical personnel and organizations to obtain and potentially administer life-saving allergy medication without needing a patient-specific prescription. This reduces barriers for entities that want to have epinephrine on hand for emergencies, improving public safety for people with severe allergies.
Grants regulatory agencies flexibility to designate or approve additional people or categories of entities eligible to receive epinephrine auto-injectors. This adaptability ensures the law can keep up with changing understandings of allergy risks and emerging needs in the community.
May reduce response time and severity of allergic emergencies by putting epinephrine auto-injectors in more hands and locations, possibly decreasing reliance on emergency medical services for initial treatment. This could have public health and cost-saving implications, while also providing peace of mind for those at risk of anaphylaxis.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Pharmacists Give EpiPens
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to health
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8314
IN SENATE
April 30, 2018
Introduced by Sen. ROBACH -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to expanding pharmacists' authority to dispense epinephrine auto-injectors
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 3000-c of the public health law, as amended by chapter 200 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
(a) "Eligible person or entity" means (i) an ambulance service or advanced life support first response service; a certified first responder, emergency medical technician, or advanced emergency medical technician, who is employed by or an enrolled member of any such service; (ii) a children's overnight camp as defined in subdivision one of section thirteen hundred ninety-two of this chapter, a summer day camp as defined in subdivision two of section thirteen hundred ninety-two of this chapter, a traveling summer day camp as defined in subdivision three of section thirteen hundred ninety-two of this chapter or a person employed by such a camp; (iii) a school district, board of cooperative educational services, county vocational education and extension board, charter school, and non-public elementary and secondary school in this state or any person employed by any such entity, or employed by a contractor of such an entity while performing services for the entity; or (iv) a sports, entertainment, amusement, education, government, day care or retail facility; an educational institution, youth organization or sports league; an establishment that serves food; or a person employed by such entity; and (v) any other entity that may be a venue in which an allergic reaction may occur, or any other person or entity designated or approved, or in a category designated or approved pursuant to regulations of the commissioner in consultation with other appropriate agencies.
§ 2. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 3 of section 3000-c of the public health law, as added by chapter 373 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15605-01-8
S. 8314 2
(b) A pharmacist may dispense or distribute, directly or indirectly, an epinephrine auto-injector pursuant to a patient-specific or non-patient-specific prescription under this subdivision, to or for an eligible person or entity.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to expanding pharma- cists' authority to dispense epinephrine auto-injectors
Purpose
To grant pharmacists the prescriptive authority for epinephrine auto-in- jectors.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Defines "Eligible person or entity".
Section 2: Amends subdivision 3 of section 3000-c of the public health law
Section 3: Enacting clause
Justification
If pharmacies are allowed to prescribe epinephrine auto-injectors devices over the counter this will substantially improve access and save the lives of those who suffer from an anaphylaxis emergency. This bill will allow pharmacists the authorization to prescribe epi-pens for indi- viduals and institutions such as child day care facilities where an allergic reaction may occur.
Legislative history
None
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
Immediately
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.