Requires any chain pharmacy with twenty or more locations to pursue or maintain a non-patient specific prescription with an authorized health care professional to disperse an opioid antagonist to a consumer upon request, or to register with the department of health as an opioid overdose prevention program.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A9078B REVISED MEMO 06/08/2016
SPONSOR: Mayer TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the public health law, in relation to
requiring any chain pharmacy with twenty or more locations to pursue or
maintain a non-patient-specific prescription with an authorized health
care professional to dispense an opioid antagonist to a consumer upon
request, or to register with the department of health as an opioid over-
dose prevention program
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this legislation is to ensure access to life saving medi-
cation to reverse the effects of heroin and opioid overdoses at pharma-
cies across the state without a prescription.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends paragraph b of subdivision 3 of section 3309 of the
public health law by adding a new subparagraph v to require any pharmacy
with twenty or more locations in the state to either pursue or maintain
a non-patient specific prescription with an authorized health care
professional to dispense an opioid antagonist, or register with the
department of health as an opioid overdose prevention program.
Section 2 establishes the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Heroin and opioid abuse is an alarming problem that affects communities
small and large across New York State, and across the nation. In 2014,
there were 121,000 admissions for heroin and prescription opioid abuse
treatment in New York State, a 20 percent increase from 101,000 in 2009.
Since 2002, deaths stemming from Heroin-related overdoses have quadru-
pled and continue to rise. New York State has already taken several
steps to combat this epidemic which plagues our communities. However,
New York has lagged behind other states when it comes to ensuring access
to Naloxone, the lifesaving medication used to reverse the effects of
opioids during an overdose. When administered, naloxone can temporarily
block the effects of the opioid, whether illicit or prescription, allow-
ing the individual to regain consciousness and resume normal breathing.
It poses no danger to anyone who otherwise might come into contact with
it. A number of other states have already taken steps to expand access
to Naloxone by issuing a standing order to allow this life saving medi-
cation to be dispensed at pharmacies without a prescription. Studies
have shown that friends and family members of overdose victims are often
the actual first responders and are typically better able to intervene
within the critical first moments of the onset of an overdose. By
requiring certain pharmacies to dispense and administer Naloxone without
a prescription, whether through pursuing or maintaining a non-patient
specific prescription with an authorized health care professional or
through registering as an opioid overdose prevention program, we can
facilitate the distribution of this medication and help save lives.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9078--B
Cal. No. 610
IN ASSEMBLY
January 25, 2016
___________
Introduced by M. of A. MAYER, SKOUFIS, LUPARDO, OTIS, SIMON, ZEBROWSKI,
CUSICK, JAFFEE, GALEF, DUPREY, RA, PEOPLES-STOKES, BRABENEC, FINCH,
ABINANTI -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. TENNEY, THIELE -- read once
and referred to the Committee on Health -- reported from committee,
advanced to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining
its place on the order of third reading -- again amended on third
reading, ordered reprinted, retaining its place on the order of third
reading
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring any
chain pharmacy with twenty or more locations to pursue or maintain a
non-patient-specific prescription with an authorized health care
professional to dispense an opioid antagonist to a consumer upon
request, or to register with the department of health as an opioid
overdose prevention program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 3 of section 3309 of the
2 public health law is amended by adding a new subparagraph (v) to read as
3 follows:
4 (v) Any pharmacy with twenty or more locations in the state, shall
5 either: (1) pursue or maintain a non-patient-specific prescription with
6 an authorized health care professional to dispense an opioid antagonist
7 to a consumer upon request, as authorized by this section; or (2) regis-
8 ter with the department as an opioid overdose prevention program.
9 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13480-07-6
