Effective: December 16, 2020
Latest Legislation: House Bill 341 - 133rd General Assembly
(A) As used in this section, "physician" means an individual authorized under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery.
(B)(1) Subject to division (C) of this section, a pharmacist licensed under this chapter may administer by injection any of the following drugs as long as the drug that is to be administered has been prescribed by a physician and the individual to whom the drug was prescribed has an ongoing physician-patient relationship with the physician:
(a) An addiction treatment drug administered in a long-acting or extended-release form;
(b) An antipsychotic drug administered in a long-acting or extended-release form;
(c) Hydroxyprogesterone caproate;
(d) Medroxyprogesterone acetate;
(e) Cobalamin.
(2) As part of engaging in the administration of drugs by injection pursuant to this section, a pharmacist may administer epinephrine or diphenhydramine, or both, to an individual in an emergency situation resulting from an adverse reaction to a drug administered by the pharmacist.
(C) To be authorized to administer drugs pursuant to this section, a pharmacist must do all of the following:
(1) Successfully complete a course in the administration of drugs that satisfies the requirements established by the state board of pharmacy in rules adopted under division (H)(1)(a) of this section;
(2) Receive and maintain certification to perform basic life-support procedures by successfully completing a basic life-support training course that is certified by the American red cross or American heart association or approved by the state board of pharmacy;
(3) Practice in accordance with a protocol that meets the requirements of division (F) of this section.
(D) Each time a pharmacist administers a drug pursuant to this section, the pharmacist shall do all of the following:
(1) Obtain permission in accordance with the procedures specified in rules adopted under division (H) of this section and comply with the following requirements:
(a) Except as provided in division (D)(1)(c) of this section, for each drug administered by a pharmacist to an individual who is eighteen years of age or older, the pharmacist shall obtain permission from the individual.
(b) For each drug administered by a pharmacist to an individual who is under eighteen years of age, the pharmacist shall obtain permission from the individual's parent or other person having care or charge of the individual.
(c) For each drug administered by a pharmacist to an individual who lacks the capacity to make informed health care decisions, the pharmacist shall obtain permission from the person authorized to make such decisions on the individual's behalf.
(2) In the case of an addiction treatment drug described in division (B)(1)(a) of this section, obtain in accordance with division (E) of this section test results indicating that it is appropriate to administer the drug to the individual if either of the following is to be administered:
(a) The initial dose of the drug;
(b) Any subsequent dose, if the administration occurs more than thirty days after the previous dose of the drug was administered.
(3) Observe the individual to whom the drug is administered to determine whether the individual has an adverse reaction to the drug;
(4) Notify the physician who prescribed the drug that the drug has been administered to the individual.
(E) A pharmacist may obtain the test results described in division (D)(2) of this section in either of the following ways:
(1) From the physician;
(2) By ordering blood and urine tests for the individual to whom the drug is to be administered.
If a pharmacist orders blood and urine tests, the pharmacist shall evaluate the results of the tests to determine whether they indicate that it is appropriate to administer the drug. A pharmacist's authority to evaluate test results under this division does not authorize the pharmacist to make a diagnosis.
(F) All of the following apply with respect to the protocol required by division (C)(3) of this section:
(1) The protocol must be established by a physician who has a scope of practice that includes treatment of the condition for which the individual has been prescribed the drug to be administered.
(2) The protocol must satisfy the requirements established in rules adopted under division (H)(1)(b) of this section.
(3) The protocol must do all of the following:
(a) Specify a definitive set of treatment guidelines;
(b) Specify the locations at which a pharmacist may engage in the administration of drugs pursuant to this section;
(c) Include provisions for implementing the requirements of division (D) of this section, including for purposes of division (D)(3) of this section provisions specifying the length of time and location at which a pharmacist must observe an individual who receives a drug to determine whether the individual has an adverse reaction to the drug;
(d) Specify procedures to be followed by a pharmacist when administering epinephrine, diphenhydramine, or both, to an individual who has an adverse reaction to a drug administered by the pharmacist.
(G) A pharmacist shall not do either of the following:
(1) Engage in the administration of drugs pursuant to this section unless the requirements of division (C) of this section have been met;
(2) Delegate to any person the pharmacist's authority to engage in the administration of drugs pursuant to this section.
(H)(1) The state board of pharmacy shall adopt rules to implement this section. The rules shall be adopted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code and include all of the following:
(a) Requirements for courses in administration of drugs;
(b) Requirements for protocols to be followed by pharmacists in administering drugs pursuant to this section;
(c) Procedures to be followed by a pharmacist in obtaining permission to administer a drug to an individual.
(2) The board shall consult with the state medical board before adopting rules regarding requirements for protocols under this section.