STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1264-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 2247

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health & Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2247, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO OPIOID ANTAGONISTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expand the scope of registered pharmacists' practices by allowing registered pharmacists to prescribe, dispense, and provide related education of opioid antagonists without the need for a written, approved collaborative agreement.

The Department of Health, University of Hawaii at Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, Hawaii Pharmacists Association, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and two concerned individuals supported this measure. The Board of Pharmacy, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, Walgreen Co., and Hawaii Medical Service Association provided comments.

Your Committee recognizes the concerns raised by the Hawaii Medical Service Association regarding a collaborative agreement between a pharmacist and a physician in order to ensure that relevant information about a patient's medical history is considered. Your Committee finds that the University of Hawaii at Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy is planning to create a pharmacist certificate program to address the specifics of naloxone prescribing and dispensing. Your Committee notes that this measure addresses objectives outlined in the Hawaii Opioid Action Plan pertaining to prevention and pharmacy-based interventions.

Your Committee has amended this measure by addressing privacy concerns regarding the prescribing and dispensing of the opioid antagonist to a family member or caregiver by clarifying that the name of the family member or caregiver of an individual who is at risk for an opioid overdose or who is an opioid antagonist recipient may be on the prescription the pharmacist initiates and dispenses.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health & Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2247, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2247, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health & Human Services,

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair