On July 23, 2021, Governor Kim Reynolds issued a new Proclamation of Disaster Emergency. In this Proclamation, there are no further suspensions of administrative rules relating to pharmacy licensure or registration.
The public health emergency still remains, now set to expire August 22, 2021. Under the current public health emergency, all regulatory requirements for pharmacy personnel are reinstated and enforceable. Accordingly, the Board will discontinue its position of enforcement discretion relating to pharmacy practice.
Regulatory requirements reinstated
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A pharmacist in Iowa must hold an active Iowa pharmacist license to work in an Iowa pharmacy.
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A pharmacist with an expired license is no longer authorized to practice pharmacy unless the license is reactivated.
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The NABP Passport authorization is no longer valid.
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A pharmacist who holds an active pharmacist license in another state wishing to work in Iowa may obtain a temporary pharmacist license while they plan to take the MPJE. All other licensing requirements must be met (including background check) prior to issuance of the temporary license. The temporary license is valid for three months and may be renewed one time.
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A pharmacy technician trainee:
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whose registration expired prior to July 25, 2021 and who was unable to sit for the national certification exam and who provided evidence of the barrier to sit for the exam prior to July 25 may continue to practice until such time as the trainee is able to schedule and take the national certification exam.
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whose registration expired prior to July 25, 2021 and either failed the national certification exam or failed to sit for the exam shall have until August 24, 2021 to take and pass the exam and obtain registration as a certified pharmacy technician. As of August 25, 2021, any technician trainee whose registration expired prior to July 25, 2021 shall be identified as “expired” and shall not be permitted to practice pharmacy unless the technician is a registered certified pharmacy technician.
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Pharmacist continuing education:
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Pharmacists who had a license expiration date of June 30, 2020 must have completed their required continuing education by June 30, 2021.
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Pharmacists who had a license expiration date of June 30, 2021 will have until August 24, 2021 to renew their license without penalty and to complete the continuing education required for the 2021 license renewal.
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Licensees and registrants whose license or registration expired between March 18, 2020 and July 25, 2021 will have until August 24, 2021 to renew their license or registration without penalty. As of August 25, 2021, all licenses and registrations which expired prior to July 25, 2021 and which were not renewed will be changed to “expired” status. Anyone with an expired license or registration must complete the reactivation process to return the license or registration to active status.
Continued public health emergency and related statewide standing orders
With the continued declaration of a public health emergency, the current statewide standing orders issued by state medical director and epidemiologist Dr. Caitlin Pedati relating to COVID testing, report and immunization remain in effect until the expiration or termination of the Proclamation of Disaster Emergency, currently set to expire on August 22, 2021. While the Board will continue to monitor the situation and will provide further guidance upon the expiration or termination of the emergency declaration, pharmacies are encouraged to plan accordingly for the termination of the emergency declaration and subsequent rescission of the emergency orders from Dr. Pedati, including ensuring that each immunizing pharmacist has obtained a National Provider Identification (NPI) number to facilitate the ordering and administering COVID vaccines under the Board’s statewide protocol.