65-16,127. Emergency opioid antagonists; dispensing, storing and administering; duties of the state board of pharmacy and first responder agencies; rules and regulations.
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Bystander" means a family member, friend, caregiver or other person in a position to assist a person who the family member, friend, caregiver or other person believes, in good faith, to be experiencing an opioid overdose.
(2) "Emergency opioid antagonist" means any drug that inhibits the effects of opioids and that is approved by the United States food and drug administration for the treatment of an opioid overdose.
(3) "First responder" includes any emergency medical service provider, as defined by K.S.A. 65-6112, and amendments thereto, any law enforcement officer, as defined by K.S.A. 22-2202, and amendments thereto, and any actual member of any organized fire department, whether regular or volunteer.
(4) "First responder agency" includes, but is not limited to, any law enforcement agency, fire department or criminal forensic laboratory of any city, county or the state of Kansas.
(5) "Opioid antagonist protocol" means the protocol established by the state board of pharmacy pursuant to subsection (b).
(6) "Opioid overdose" means an acute condition including, but not limited to, extreme physical illness, decreased level of consciousness, respiratory depression, coma, mania or death, resulting from the consumption or use of an opioid or another substance with which an opioid was combined, or that a layperson would reasonably believe to be resulting from the consumption or use of an opioid or another substance with which an opioid was combined, and for which medical assistance is required.
(7) "Patient" means a person believed to be at risk of experiencing an opioid overdose.
(8) "School nurse" means a professional nurse licensed by the board of nursing and employed by a school district to perform nursing procedures in a school setting.
(9) "Healthcare provider" means a physician licensed to practice medicine and surgery by the state board of healing arts, a licensed dentist, a mid-level practitioner as defined by K.S.A. 65-1626, and amendments thereto, or any person authorized by law to prescribe medication.
(b) The state board of pharmacy shall issue a statewide opioid antagonist protocol that establishes requirements for a licensed pharmacist to dispense emergency opioid antagonists to a person pursuant to this section. The opioid antagonist protocol shall include procedures to ensure accurate recordkeeping and education of the person to whom the emergency opioid antagonist is furnished, including, but not limited to: Opioid overdose prevention, recognition and response; safe administration of an emergency opioid antagonist; potential side effects or adverse events that may occur as a result of administering an emergency opioid antagonist; a requirement that the administering person immediately contact emergency medical services for a patient; and the availability of drug treatment programs.
(c) A pharmacist may furnish an emergency opioid antagonist to a patient or bystander subject to the requirements of this section, the pharmacy act of the state of Kansas and any rules and regulations adopted by the state board of pharmacy thereunder.
(d) A pharmacist furnishing an emergency opioid antagonist pursuant to this section may not permit the person to whom the emergency opioid antagonist is furnished to waive any consultation required by this section or any rules and regulations adopted thereunder.
(e) Any first responder, scientist or technician operating under a first responder agency or school nurse is authorized to possess, store and administer emergency opioid antagonists as clinically indicated, provided that all personnel with access to emergency opioid antagonists are trained, at a minimum, on the following:
(1) Techniques to recognize signs of an opioid overdose;
(2) standards and procedures to store and administer an emergency opioid antagonist;
(3) emergency follow-up procedures, including the requirement to summon emergency ambulance services either immediately before or immediately after administering an emergency opioid antagonist to a patient; and
(4) inventory requirements and reporting any administration of an emergency opioid antagonist to a healthcare provider.
(f) (1) Any first responder agency electing to provide an emergency opioid antagonist to its employees or volunteers for the purpose of administering the emergency opioid antagonist shall procure the services of a physician to serve as physician medical director for the first responder agency's emergency opioid antagonist program.
(2) The first responder agency shall utilize the physician medical director or a licensed pharmacist for the purposes of:
(A) Obtaining a supply of emergency opioid antagonists;
(B) receiving assistance developing necessary policies and procedures that comply with this section and any rules and regulations adopted thereunder;
(C) training personnel; and
(D) coordinating agency activities with local emergency ambulance services and medical directors to provide quality assurance activities.
(g) (1) Any healthcare provider or pharmacist who, in good faith and with reasonable care, prescribes or dispenses an emergency opioid antagonist pursuant to this section shall not, by an act or omission, be subject to civil liability, criminal prosecution or any disciplinary or other adverse action by a professional licensure entity arising from the healthcare provider or pharmacist prescribing or dispensing the emergency opioid antagonist.
(2) Any patient, bystander, school nurse, or a first responder, scientist or technician operating under a first responder agency, who, in good faith and with reasonable care, receives and administers an emergency opioid antagonist pursuant to this section to a person experiencing a suspected opioid overdose shall not, by an act or omission, be subject to civil liability or criminal prosecution, unless personal injury results from the gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct in the administration of the emergency opioid antagonist.
(3) Any first responder agency employing or contracting any person that, in good faith and with reasonable care, administers an emergency opioid antagonist pursuant to this section to a person experiencing a suspected opioid overdose shall not, by an act or omission, be subject to civil liability, criminal prosecution, any disciplinary or other adverse action by a professional licensure entity or any professional review.
(h) The state board of pharmacy shall adopt rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this section prior to January 1, 2018.
(i) This section shall be part of and supplemental to the pharmacy act of the state of Kansas.
History: L. 2017, ch. 21, § 1; L. 2019, ch. 64, § 12; June 6.