SENIOR SENATE PROPOSAL NO. 17

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR SENATOR MACK

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SP 17: PHARMACISTS.

EXISTING LAW, THE PHARMACY LAW, PROVIDES FOR THE LICENSING AND 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 17: 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 THE PATIENT TO HAVE AN ADVERSE REACTION; 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 2006 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 CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

RN20061902905

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