Effective: December 16, 2020
Latest Legislation: House Bill 341 - 133rd General Assembly
(A)(1) A physician assistant who holds a valid prescriber number issued by the state medical board, who has been granted physician-delegated prescriptive authority, and who has established a protocol that meets the requirements of division (C) of this section may authorize one or more other individuals to personally furnish a supply of naloxone pursuant to the protocol to either of the following:
(a) An individual who there is reason to believe is experiencing or at risk of experiencing an opioid-related overdose;
(b) A family member, friend, or other person in a position to assist an individual who there is reason to believe is at risk of experiencing an opioid-related overdose.
(2) An individual authorized under this section to personally furnish naloxone may do so without having examined the individual to whom it may be administered.
(B) An individual authorized by a physician assistant under this section may personally furnish naloxone to an individual described in division (A)(1)(a) or (b) of this section if both of the following conditions are met:
(1) The authorized individual complies with the protocol established by the authorizing physician assistant, including having completed the training required by the protocol.
(2) The authorized individual instructs the individual to whom naloxone is furnished to summon emergency services as soon as practicable either before or after administering naloxone.
(C) A protocol established by a physician assistant for purposes of this section shall be established in writing and include all of the following:
(1) A description of the clinical pharmacology of naloxone;
(2) Precautions and contraindications concerning furnishing naloxone;
(3) Any limitations the physician assistant specifies concerning the individuals to whom naloxone may be furnished;
(4) The naloxone dosage that may be furnished and any variation in the dosage based on circumstances specified in the protocol;
(5) Labeling, storage, record keeping, and administrative requirements;
(6) Training requirements that must be met before an individual will be authorized to furnish naloxone;
(7) Any instructions or training that the authorized individual must provide to an individual to whom naloxone is furnished.
(D) A physician assistant who in good faith authorizes another individual to personally furnish naloxone in accordance with a protocol established by the physician assistant under this section is not liable for or subject to any of the following for any action or omission of the individual to whom the naloxone is furnished: damages in any civil action, prosecution in any criminal proceeding, or professional disciplinary action.
An individual authorized under this section to personally furnish naloxone who does so in good faith is not liable for or subject to any of the following for any action or omission of the individual to whom the naloxone is furnished: damages in any civil action, prosecution in any criminal proceeding, or professional disciplinary action.