By: Lucio S.B. No. 1896

(In the Senate - Filed March 9, 2007; March 22, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services; April 23, 2007, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 23, 2007, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1896 By: Patrick

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the distribution and redistribution of certain drugs.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subsections (a), (b), and (e), Section 562.1085, Occupations Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) A pharmacist who practices in or serves as a consultant for a health care facility or a licensed health care professional responsible for administration of drugs in a penal institution, as defined by Section 1.07, Penal Code, in this state may return to a pharmacy certain unused drugs, other than a controlled substance as defined by Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, purchased from the pharmacy as provided by board rule. The unused drugs must:

(1) be approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration and be:

(A) sealed in unopened tamper-evident packaging and either individually packaged or packaged in unit-dose packaging;

(B) oral or parenteral medication in sealed single-dose containers approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration;

(C) topical or inhalant drugs in sealed units-of-use containers approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration; or

(D) parenteral medications in sealed multiple-dose containers approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration from which doses have not been withdrawn; and

(2) not be the subject of a mandatory recall by a state or federal agency or a voluntary recall by a drug seller or manufacturer.

(b) A pharmacist for the pharmacy shall examine a drug returned under this section to ensure the integrity of the drug product. A health care facility or penal institution may not return a drug that:

(1) has been compounded;

(2) appears on inspection to be adulterated;

(3) requires refrigeration; or

(4) has less than 120 days until the expiration date or end of the shelf life.

(e) The board shall adopt the rules, policies, and procedures necessary to administer this section, including rules that require a health care facility or penal institution to inform the Health and Human Services Commission of medicines returned to a pharmacy under this section.

SECTION 2. Section 431.321, Health and Safety Code, is amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d-1) to read as follows:

(a) "Charitable medical clinic" means a clinic, including a licensed pharmacy that is a community pharmaceutical access program provider, that provides medical care or drugs without charge or for a substantially reduced charge, complies with the insurance requirements of Chapter 84, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, and is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 by being listed as an exempt organization in Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the code and is operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare by being primarily engaged in promoting the common good and general welfare of the people in a community.

(d-1) In this subchapter, "community pharmaceutical access program" means a program offered by a licensed pharmacy under which the pharmacy assists financially disadvantaged persons to access prescription drugs at no charge or at a substantially reduced charge.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2007.

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