HB 102

Abstract

Prescriptions; off-label use. Provides that a prescriber may prescribe, administer, or dispense and a pharmacist may dispense a drug that has been approved for a specific use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for an off-label use when the prescriber or pharmacist determines, in his professional judgment, that such off-label use is appropriate for the standard of care and such prescribing, administering, or dispensing is to improve health care outcomes. The bill also prohibits a hospital from denying, revoking, terminating, diminishing, or curtailing in any way any professional or clinical privilege of any licensed health care provider with prescriptive authority or authority to dispense drugs solely on the grounds that such health care provider prescribes, administers, or dispenses a drug that has been approved for a specific use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for an off-label use, provided that such prescribing, administering, or dispensing is in accordance with laws of the Commonwealth and is to improve health care outcomes.

Prescriptions; off-label use. Provides thata licensed health care provider with prescriptive authority may prescribe,administer, or dispense a drug that has been approved for a specificuse by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for an off-label usewhen the health care provider determines, in his professional judgement,that such off-label use is appropriate for the care and treatmentof the patient, and prohibits a pharmacist from refusing to dispensea drug for off-label use if a valid prescription is presented. The bill also requires the Board of Health to include in regulationsgoverning hospitals a provision that no hospital shall deny, revoke,terminate, diminish, or curtail in any way any professional or clinicalprivilege to a health care provider with prescriptive authority solelyon the grounds that such health care provider prescribes, administers,or dispenses a drug that has been approved for a specific use bythe U.S. Food and Drug Administration for an off-label use.