AB1710:v91#DOCUMENTBill Start
Assembly Bill
No. 1710
CHAPTER 123
An act to amend Section 4052.8 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to pharmacy.
[
Approved by
Governor
September 24, 2020.
Filed with
Secretary of State
September 24, 2020.
]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1710, Wood.
Pharmacy practice: vaccines.
Existing law, the Pharmacy Law, provides for the licensing and regulation of pharmacists by the California State Board of Pharmacy in the Department of Consumer Affairs. A violation of the Pharmacy Law is a crime. Existing law authorizes a pharmacist to independently initiate and administer vaccines listed on the routine immunization schedules recommended by the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) in compliance with individual ACIP vaccine recommendations, and published by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for persons 3 years of age or older.
This bill would also authorize a pharmacist to independently initiate and administer any COVID-19 vaccines approved or authorized by the federal
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the circumstances described above. Because a violation of these provisions would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Digest Key
Vote:
MAJORITY
Appropriation:
NO
Fiscal Committee:
YES
Local Program:
YES
Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 4052.8 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:4052.8.
(a) In addition to the authority provided in paragraph (11) of subdivision (a) of Section 4052, a pharmacist may independently initiate and administer any COVID-19 vaccines approved or authorized by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or vaccines listed on the routine immunization schedules recommended by the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), in compliance with individual ACIP vaccine recommendations, and published by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for persons three years of age and older.(b) In order to initiate and
administer an immunization described in subdivision (a), a pharmacist shall do all of the following:
(1) Complete an immunization training program endorsed by the CDC or the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education that, at a minimum, includes hands-on injection technique, clinical evaluation of indications and contraindications of vaccines, and the recognition and treatment of emergency reactions to vaccines, and shall maintain that training.
(2) Be certified in basic life support.
(3) Comply with all state and federal recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including providing documentation to the patient’s primary care provider and entering information in the appropriate immunization registry designated by the
immunization branch of the State Department of Public Health.
(c) A pharmacist administering immunizations pursuant to this section, or paragraph (11) of subdivision (a) of Section 4052, may also initiate and administer epinephrine or diphenhydramine by injection for the treatment of a severe allergic reaction.
SEC. 2.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.