SRC-MKV, S.B. 332 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterS.B. 332 By: Moncrief Health & Human Services 6/14/2001 Enrolled DIGEST AND PURPOSE The Texas Medical Practice Act prohibits physicians from giving patients free medications under the Indigent Patient Program because of a definitional limitation. S.B. 332 corrects the definitional limitation, allowing physicians to give their indigent patients a full course of medication supplied by the pharmaceutical company without risk of infringing on pharmacists' dispensing authority. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 158.001, Occupations Code, by adding Subsection (c), to provide that this chapter does not prohibit a physician from supplying to a patient, free of charge, a drug provided to the physician by a drug manufacturer for an indigent pharmaceutical program if, in the physician's opinion, it is advantageous to the patient, in adhering to a course of treatment prescribed by the physician, to receive the drug. SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.