HB138 Summary

• Permits pharmacies operated by or under contract with HIV clinics to accept and redispense unused prescription drugs that have been previously dispensed to patients, under specified conditions.

• Requires returned drugs to have been stored and handled securely by a registered or licensed practical nurse, never left the nurse's control, never reached the patient, and remained in undamaged, unaltered original packaging.

• Mandates pharmacists develop written protocols for accepting, repackaging, labeling, and redispensing returned drugs, including methods to ensure drug integrity and a uniform tracking system.

• Prohibits redispensing of controlled substances, customized patient medication packages, drugs not in unit-dose or unit-of-issue packages, and improperly labeled drugs; limits repackaged drugs to single redispensing in the same package.

• Becomes effective on the first day of the third month following passage and gubernatorial approval.