What's happening
This bill requires New York to create and freely distribute a multilingual drug guide for seniors, explaining medication use and interactions.
Why it matters
Empowers seniors to make safer medication decisions. by providing clear explanations of drug purposes, functions, and common interactions—including the effects of mixing medications with alcohol.
Addresses language barriers in healthcare. by requiring the guide’s translation into the six most common non-English languages spoken by New Yorkers with limited English proficiency, increasing accessibility for diverse senior populations.
Promotes updated and relevant health information. by mandating that the guide be regularly revised, helping seniors and caregivers rely on current best practices for medication safety.
Reduces the risk of medication errors. by prominently warning users not to change medication regimens without consulting healthcare professionals, potentially lowering the incidence of adverse drug events among seniors.
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Who cares
People over age 62
The bill would provide a guide explaining commonly used drugs, common drug interactions and the effects of combining medications with alcohol.
State aging officials and the State Board of Pharmacy
They would prepare and publish the guide, subject to available appropriations and after consulting the Department of Health, and update it as needed.
Designated aging-services agencies
They would serve as distribution points for the free guide, with requests for more than ten copies subject to a reasonable reproduction and handling charge.
Seniors with limited English proficiency
The guide would be available in the six most common non-English languages spoken by New Yorkers with limited English proficiency, based on the latest available census data.
Headline styles
Create Senior Drug Guide
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 14
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to aging
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7839
IN SENATE
February 25, 2020
Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging
AN ACT to amend the elder law, in relation to creating and distributing a drug guide for senior consumers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The elder law is amended by adding a new section 225 to read as follows:
§ 225. Senior drug guide. The director, in conjunction with the state board of pharmacy, and after consultation with the department of health, shall, within amounts made available by appropriation therefor, prepare and publish a guide explaining the purpose, function, and common drug interactions of drugs commonly used by persons over the age of sixtytwo. The guide shall also include the effects of combining such medications with alcohol consumption. Prominently written in at least fourteen point type on the first page of the guide shall be the following caution: "Do not begin taking, stop taking, or alter your dosage of any medications without consulting your doctor or other healthcare practitioner." The director shall take such actions as shall be necessary and appropriate to make such guide available on their website and without charge through designated agencies, as such term is defined in section two hundred fourteen of this title, and in the six most common non-English languages spoken by individuals with limited English proficiency in the state of New York, according to the latest available data from the United States Bureau of Census. Requests for more than ten copies shall be subject to a reasonable charge to cover the cost of reproduction and handling. This guide shall be updated as needed to maintain accuracy and relevancy of the information contained therein.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of September next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00643-04-0
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the elder law, in relation to creating and distributing a drug guide for senior consumers
PURPOSE::
Provides for the creation of a prescription drug guide for seniors regarding the drugs commonly used by people over 62 years of age.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS::
This bill amends the elder law adding a new section 225, to require that the director of SOFA publish a guide explaining the purpose, function, and common drug interactions of drugs commonly used by persons over the age of 62. The director is required to work in conjunction with the state board of pharmacy, and to consult with the Department of Health. This guide must include the effects of combining medications with alco- hol, and must have a warning stating: "do not begin taking, stop taking, or alter your dosage of any medications without consulting your doctor or other healthcare practitioner," written in 14 point font. The guide is to be made available to individuals upon request and without charge through local area agencies on aging (AAA's), except that requests for more than ten copies must be subject to a charge to cover the cost of reproduction and handling. This guide will also be available in the six most common languages other than English.
JUSTIFICATION::
The creation of a prescription drug guide for seniors would make seniors aware of the specific effects of the drugs seniors commonly use, so they understand the effects the drugs will have on them. Often times, seniors are prescribed a lot of medication and/or self-medicate with over the counter medicines. Certain drug interactions can be life threatening. Seniors need to be made aware of the likely contraindica- tions of certain commonly prescribed drugs and over the counter medica- tions.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::
2019-Senate Bill 3291/Assembly Bill 2326-A: Vetoed.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS::
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE::
This act shall take effect on the first of September next succeeding the date on which it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.