Rulemaking Published

Rulemaking action by the Iowa Board of Pharmacy has been published in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin as follows: 

Notice of Intended Action

ARC 6082C has been published as a Notice of Intended Action to amend Chapter 10, “Controlled Substances.”

  • This proposed amendment temporarily places one substance into Schedule I of the Iowa CSA in response to action taken by the federal DEA.
  • Comments may be submitted no later than 4:30pm on January 4, 2022.

ARC 6083C has been published as a Notice of Intended Action to amend Chapter 13, “Telepharmacy Practice.”

  • The proposed amendments:
    • Reduce the notification period to terminate a written agreement between a managing pharmacy and telepharmacy site from 90 days to 45 days,
    • Authorize the practice of pharmacy support persons at a telepharmacy site and establish requirements for registration and training,
    • Remove duplicated rules which are required in other board chapters, and
    • Authorize the Board to establish a committee to consider requests for exemption to the technician practice experience requirements in exceptional circumstances that may otherwise result in the closure of the telepharmacy site.
  • Comments may be submitted no later than 4:30pm on January 4, 2022.
  • A public hearing will be held to accept oral comments on January 6, 2022 at 10:00am at the Board offices as well as via Zoom.

Adopted and Filed

ARC 6071C has been adopted and amends Chapter 3, “Pharmacy Technicians.”

  • The rulemaking provides the minimum training requirements for pharmacy technicians to engage in the administration of immunizations and vaccinations.
  • The rulemaking was part of a “double barrel” rulemaking which followed the Board’s emergency adoption of the same in July.
  • No changes to the emergency adopted rules were made.

ARC 6073C has been adopted and amends Chapter 8, “Universal Practice Standards.”

  • The rulemaking allows a pharmacy to identify an Interim PIC when the permanent PIC is out on an extended leave of absence but is not vacating the position. An interim PIC can serve for no more than 120 days and the pharmacy can notify the board on a form provided by the board. The notification does not change the pharmacy license and no application or fee are required.
  • The rule will be effective January 19, 2022.

ARC 6074C has been adopted and amends Chapter 10, “Controlled Substances.” 

  • The rulemaking temporarily identifies three List I chemicals as precursor substances and adds four substances to the CSA (two into Schedule I, one into Schedule IV, and one into Schedule V).
  • The rule will be effective January 19, 2022.

ARC 6076C has been adopted and amends Chapter 3, “Pharmacy Technicians,” Chapter 8, “Universal Practice Standards,” Chapter 20, “Compounding Practices,” and Chapter 39, “Expanded Practice Standards.”

  • The amendments:
    • Provide for the renewal/reactivation of a technician trainee registration when, due to exceptional circumstances, the trainee was unable to attain national technician certification and seeks an additional year of study/training;
    • Require pharmacies that have dispensed human compounded preparations interstate to annually report the compounding data to the NABP information sharing network to comply with the memorandum of understanding between the board and FDA; 
    • Update the rules relating to statewide protocols to move the training and education requirements out of the rules and into the protocols directly;
    • Move and clarify language relating to vaccine and medication administration via patient-specific prescriptions and reporting requirements in the case of serious complications; and 
    • Update language relating to pilot demonstration research projects.
  • The rules will be effective January 19, 2022.

ARC 6077C has been adopted and amends Chapter 21, “Electronic Data and Automated Systems in Pharmacy Practice.” 

  • The amendments update processes relating to the submission and review of petitions for an exemption to the electronic prescription transmission mandate as well as provide conforming language with other board administrative rules.
  • Changes made to the rulemaking since the publication of the Notice:
    • Adding language to clarify that pharmacists are not required to verify the exemption status of a prescriber or prescription,
    • Adding language to clarify that administrative approvals for exemptions for college or university student health centers apply to non-controlled substances only, and
    • Adding dental mouthwashes to the types of prescriptions that qualify for administrative approval for exemption by dentists.
  • The rulemaking is effective January 19, 2022.