H512 Summary: Pharmacists Improve Public Health Needs

• Authorizes immunizing pharmacists and clinical pharmacist practitioners to prescribe and dispense opioid antagonists (naloxone) to persons at risk of overdose or those positioned to assist them, including family members and friends.

• Expands immunizing pharmacist authority to prescribe and dispense 10 categories of medications including tobacco cessation drugs, epinephrine, glucagon, short-acting bronchodilators, hormonal contraceptives, prenatal vitamins, HIV prevention medications, fluoride supplements, and travel medications.

• Allows immunizing pharmacists to administer long-acting injectable medications to patients 18 years or older following prescriber physical examination and to test, screen, and treat minor nonchronic health conditions using FDA-waived tests.

• Grants clinical pharmacist practitioners identical prescribing and dispensing authority for the same 10 medication categories as immunizing pharmacists, subject to joint board approval and identification numbers issued by the Medical Board.

• Requires the North Carolina Medical Board and Board of Pharmacy to develop statewide protocols, certifications, training standards, and formularies for these expanded pharmacist roles by October 1, 2021, with provisions becoming effective October 1, 2022.