Reporting Requirements to State Health Officer
Alabama Administrative Rule 420-4-1-.04 requires pharmacists to report to the State Health Officer the dispensing of anti-tuberculosis medications and dispensing of antiretroviral medications to an infant. Please see full Rule below:
420-4-1-.04 Reporting.
(1) Responsibility for Reporting. Each physician, dentist, nurse, medical examiner, hospital administrator, nursing home administrator, laboratory director, school principal, and child care center/Head Start director shall be responsible to report cases or suspected cases of notifiable diseases and health conditions. Reports by laboratories as outlined in 420-4-1-.04(3) shall not substitute for reports by persons responsible for reporting cases or suspected cases of notifiable diseases and health conditions. Said report shall contain such data as may be required by the rules of the State Board of Health. Said report shall be in the manner designated in Rule 420-4-1-.04(3)-(7).
(2) Reports by Pharmacists. Pharmacists shall report to the State Health Officer or designee in the manner designated in Rule 420-4-1-.04(4)-(7) the dispensing of:
- Any anti-tuberculosis medication;
- Any antiretroviral (ARV) medication to an infant
Report dispensing of anti-tuberculosis medication to ADPH by:
- calling 334-206-5330
- faxing information to 334-206-3734 (secure fax), or
- online through REDCap: https://epiweb.adph.state.al.us/redcap/surveys/?s=H37ENP8ADD.
Report dispensing of ARV medications to an infant to ADPH by:
- calling 800-228-0469
- faxing information to 334-206-3773 (secure fax), or
- online through REDCap: https://epiweb.adph.state.al.us/redcap/surveys/?s=H37ENP8ADD, including the name of the dispensed medication(s) in the comment section.
Questions about TB? Contact the Division of Tuberculosis Control at ADPH: 334-206-5330 or online.
Questions about ARV? Contact the Office of HIV Prevention and Care at ADPH: 800-228-0469 or online.
DEA Guidance on Changing Controlled Substance Prescriptions
On August 22 2022, ALBOP received the following guidance from DEA:
“In the past few months, DEA has received an increasing number of questions concerning pharmacists’ ability to add or modify information—like a patient’s address—on paper prescriptions. To address these questions, DEA has been reviewing the relevant regulations and working to draft new regulations to address this issue. As an interim measure, pharmacists are permitted to adhere to state regulations or policy regarding those changes that a pharmacist may make to a schedule II prescription after oral consultation with the prescriber.”
Pharmacist Prescribing of Paxlovid
On July 6, 2022, in a letter to Pfizer, Inc from the FDA, the FDA has now concluded that a pharmacist may prescribe Paxlovid only pursuant to strict compliance to certain conditions. While it is your responsibility to read and understand the entirety of the referenced letter, the Board directs your specific attention to the following portions appearing on page 4 of the letter.
- PAXLOVID may also be prescribed for an individual patient by a state-licensed pharmacist under the following conditions:
- Sufficient information is available, such as through access to health records less than 12 months old or consultation with a health care provider in an established provider-patient relationship with the individual patient, to assess renal and hepatic function; and
- Sufficient information is available, such as through access to health records, patient reporting of medical history, or consultation with a health care provider in an established provider-patient relationship with the individual patient, to obtain a comprehensive list of medications (prescribed and nonprescribed) that the patient is taking to assess for potential drug interaction.
- The use of PAXLOVID covered by this authorization must be in accordance with the authorized Fact Sheets.
- Here is the link to the full FDA updated EUA for Paxlovid – Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).
Older Announcements
Delta-8 THC Statement from DEA
Alabama Department of Public Health Guidance on Administration of REGEN-COV
COVID-19 PREP Act Declaration: 9th Amendment (fact sheet)
COVID-19 PREP Act Declaration: 9th Amendment (full version)
Governor Ivey’s proclamation relating to prescriptions for Hurricane Ida evacuees