ASSEMBLY, No. 4802

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED OCTOBER 19, 2020

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  EDWARD H. THOMSON

District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)

Assemblyman  JOHN ARMATO

District 2 (Atlantic)

SYNOPSIS

     Requires pharmacists to offer opioid antidote to individuals purchasing hypodermic needles.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

An Act concerning opioid antidotes and amending P.L.2017, c.88.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

     1.  Section 1 of P.L.2017, c.88 (C.45:14-67.2) is amended to read as follows: 

     1.  a.  Notwithstanding any other law or regulation to the contrary, a pharmacist may dispense an opioid antidote to any patient, regardless of whether the patient holds an individual prescription for the opioid antidote, pursuant to a standing order issued by a prescriber or pursuant to the standing order issued pursuant to subsection b. of this section.  A pharmacist who dispenses an opioid antidote pursuant to this section shall comply with the provisions of the "Overdose Prevention Act," P.L.2013, c.46 (C.24:6J-1 et al.).

     b.    The Commissioner of Health, or, if the commissioner is not a duly licensed physician, the Deputy Commissioner for Public Health Services, shall issue, upon request by a pharmacist licensed to practice in this State, a standing order authorizing the pharmacist to dispense an opioid antidote to any patient, regardless of whether the patient holds an individual prescription for the opioid antidote, provided the pharmacist complies with the requirements of the "Overdose Prevention Act," P.L.2013, c.46 (C.24:6J-1 et al.).

c.  Notwithstanding any other law or regulation to the contrary, a pharmacist shall offer to dispense an opioid antidote to any patient, regardless of whether the patient holds an individual prescription for the opioid antidote, pursuant to a standing order issued by a prescriber or pursuant to the standing order issued pursuant to subsection b. of this section, if the patient purchases a hypodermic needle from the pharmacist.

[c.] d.        As used in this section:

     "Opioid antidote" means naloxone hydrochloride, or any other similarly acting drug approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for self-administration for the treatment of an opioid overdose.

     "Patient" means the same as that term is defined in section 3 of P.L.2013, c.46 (C.24:6J-3).

     "Prescriber" means the same as that term is defined in section 3 of P.L.2013, c.46 (C.24:6J-3).

(cf: P.L.2017, c.88, s.1)

     2.  This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

     This bill requires pharmacists to offer opioid antidotes to individuals purchasing hypodermic needles.  Under the bill, notwithstanding any other law or regulation to the contrary, a pharmacist is to offer to dispense an opioid antidote to any patient, regardless of whether the patient holds an individual prescription for the opioid antidote, pursuant to a standing order issued by a prescriber or pursuant to the standing order issued pursuant to the bill’s provisions, if the patient purchases a hypodermic needle from the pharmacist.