Hurricane Dorian emergency info

In the wake of Hurricane Dorian and the state of emergency, the Board of Pharmacy has activated Policy 14, which covers these kinds of emergency situations.

Emergency refills

You may give people up to a 30-day supply of their medication.

Caveats:

• This does not apply to controlled substances.
• In your professional judgment, the prescription drug must be essential to the maintenance of the patient’s life or to the continuation of therapy.
• You must make “a good faith effort” to record all the pertinent information as required by law, indicate that it is an “emergency refill prescription,” and hold onto those records.
• You must informs the patient that the prescription drug “is being provided without the practitioner’s authorization and that authorization of the practitioner is required for future refills.”
• As soon as possible, as conditions permit, you must notify the patient’s prescriber.

Click here for the official statement from the Board of Pharmacy.

Out of state pharmacy staff

During the state of emergency, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians not licensed in Georgia but licensed in other states may do their jobs in Georgia.

Such a pharmacist “may obtain a temporary license to dispense prescription drugs in areas affected by the declared disaster during the time that the state of emergency exists.”

Such a technician or intern “may assist the pharmacist in dispensing prescription drugs in affected disaster areas” during the emergency.

There are important caveats. Click here for the details of Policy #14

Most important, stay safe!

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