SENIOR
SENATE PROPOSAL NO. 9
INTRODUCED
BY SENATOR MACK
(COAUTHOR:
SENATOR JAFFEE)
LEGISLATIVE
COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SP
9: PHARMACISTS.
UNDER
EXISTING LAW, THE PHARMACY LAW PROVIDES FOR THE LICENSING AMD REGULATION OF THE
PRACTICE OF PHARMACY, UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF
PHARMACY, AND REQUIRES PHARMACIES TO PROVIDE PRESCRIPTION DRUG CONSUMERS WITH
CERTAIN INFORMATION, ORALLY OR IN WRITING, ABOUT THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF TAKING
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS IN COMBINATION WITH ALCOHOL.
THIS
MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION
THAT WOULD REQUIRE PHARMACISTS TO INCLUDE A LARGE-PRINT INFORMATIONAL INSERT
WITH EACH PRESCRIPTION DRUG DISPENSED REGARDING THE DANGERS OF TAKING THAT
PARTICULAR PRESCRIPTION DRUG IN COMBINATION WITH ALCOHOL OR OTHER MEDICATIONS,
INCLUDING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND OVER-THE-COUNTER DRUGS.
VOTE:
MAJORITY.
SP 9:
RELATING TO PHARMACISTS
WHEREAS,
OVER 100,000 PEOPLE DIE EACH YEAR FROM INAPPROPRIATE USE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS;
AND
WHEREAS,
MEDICATIONS MAY BE PRESCRIBED TO A PERSON BY MORE THAN ONE PHYSICIAN AND, WHEN
THESE DIFFERENT MEDICATIONS ARE TAKEN IN COMBINATION, THEY MAY CAUSE AN ADVERSE
REACTION TO THE PATIENT; AND
WHEREAS,
A PATIENT MAY ALSO TAKE AN OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATION WHILE TAKING PRESCRIPTION
MEDICATIONS, THEREBY CREATING A HEALTH RISK; AND
WHEREAS,
A RECENT STUDY HAS SHOWN THAT OVER ONE-HALF OF THE PHARMACIES SURVEYED DID NOT
COUNSEL CONSUMERS ON THE DANGER OF MIXING DRUGS WITH ALCOHOL OR WITH
OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATIONS, AND THAT OVER 96 PERCENT OF PATIENTS DO NOT ASK
QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR PRESCRIPTIONS; AND
WHEREAS,
THE SENIOR CITIZEN POPULATION IS THE LARGEST GROUP OF USERS OF PRESCRIPTION
DRUGS IN THIS COUNTRY, AND IT WAS RECENTLY REPORTED THAT 23,000,000 SENIOR
CITIZENS IN THIS NATION ARE MISUSING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND THAT 15 TO 25
PERCENT OF SENIOR CITIZENS ARE ADMITTED TO EMERGENCY ROOMS, HOSPITALS, AND
NURSING HOMES AS A RESULT OF THEIR MISUSE OF MEDICATIONS, SUCH AS USING
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS ALONG WITH OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATIONS; NOW, THEREFORE, BE
IT
RESOLVED,
BY THE SENIOR SENATE AND THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2002 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY
OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT PHARMACISTS BE REQUIRED TO
INCLUDE A LARGE-PRINT INFORMATIONAL INSERT WITH EACH PRESCRIPTION DRUG DISPENSED
REGARDING THE DANGERS OF TAKING THAT PARTICULAR PRESCRIPTION DRUG IN COMBINATION
WITH ALCOHOL OR OTHER MEDICATIONS, INCLUDING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND
OVER-THE-COUNTER DRUGS; AND BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED,
THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF
RESOLVED,
THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE
SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, AMD THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF
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