§ 3–1202.08. Board of Pharmacy.

(a) There is established a Board of Pharmacy to consist of 7 members appointed by the Mayor.

(b)(1) The Board shall regulate the practice of pharmacy, the practice of pharmaceutical detailing, and the practice of pharmacy technicians.

(1A) Repealed.

(2) The Board is authorized to:

(A) Establish a code of ethics for the practice of pharmaceutical detailing; and

(B) Collect information from licensed pharmaceutical detailers relating to their communications with licensed health professionals, or with employees or representatives of licensed health professionals, located in the District.

(c) Of the members of the Board, 5 shall be pharmacists licensed in the District and 2 shall be consumer members; except, that from July 19, 2024, of the members of the Board, 5 shall be pharmacists licensed in the District, one shall be a pharmacy technician registered in the District, and one shall be a consumer member.

(d) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, members of the Board shall be appointed for terms of 3 years.

(e) Of the members initially appointed under this section, 2 shall be appointed for a term of 1 year, 2 shall be appointed for a term of 2 years, and 3 shall be appointed for a term of 3 years.

(f) An individual licensed to practice pharmacy pursuant to this chapter may administer immunizations and vaccinations only if certified to do so by the Board.

(g) Repealed.

(g-1)(1) An individual licensed to practice pharmacy pursuant to this chapter may prescribe and dispense up to a 12-month supply of self-administered hormonal contraceptives if certified to do so by the Board and pursuant to a written protocol established by the Board and the Board of Medicine under paragraph (2) of this subsection.

(2) The Board and the Board of Medicine shall jointly develop and issue regulations establishing protocols for the prescription and dispensation of self-administered hormonal contraceptives. The protocols shall include the following requirements:

(A) If the pharmacist has not already undergone training as part of the pharmacist's formal educational program, that the pharmacist complete a training program approved by the Board and the Board of Medicine for prescribing and dispensing self-administered hormonal contraceptives;

(B) That the patient use a self-screening tool developed by the Board and the Board of Medicine that will identify patient risk factors for the use of self-administered hormonal contraceptives, based on the current United States Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;

(C) That a pharmacist may determine, based on the results of the self-screening tool described in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, when it is safe to dispense a 12-month supply of self-administered hormonal contraceptives;

(D) That when a self-administered hormonal contraceptive is prescribed and dispensed, the patient shall be provided, in a manner that ensures patient confidentiality, appropriate counseling and information on the product furnished, including dosage, effectiveness, potential side effects, safety, the importance of receiving recommended preventive health screenings, and that a self-administered hormonal contraceptive does not protect against sexually transmitted infections;

(E) That the pharmacist refer the patient to the patient's primary care provider or reproductive health provider or, if the patient does not have a primary care provider or reproductive health provider, to a nearby clinic, upon prescribing and dispensing a self-administered hormonal contraceptive pursuant to this subsection or if it is determined that the use of a self-administered hormonal contraceptive is not recommended; and

(F) That the pharmacist provide the patient with written material, developed by the Board and the Department of Health, describing all U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptives, including Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives.

(3) The reimbursement to a pharmacist from an individual health plan or group health plan, and health insurance coverage through Medicaid or the D.C. Healthcare Alliance program for services required by regulations issued pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection, shall be limited to an amount determined through regulation by the Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking.

(4) This subsection does not alter the requirement under federal and District of Columbia law that the provision of contraceptive drugs, devices, products, and services, including contraceptive counseling, shall be covered without cost-sharing, which includes the prescription and provision of contraceptives by any in-network provider, including a pharmacist.

(5) The Board shall maintain a list of all pharmacists certified to prescribe and dispense contraception, including the location of the pharmacy where the pharmacist currently practices, and make that list readily accessible to the public.

(6) A pharmacy shall display in stores and online a list of the times during which a pharmacist certified to prescribe and dispense contraception is available.

(7) The Board shall provide to all licensed pharmacists annual notice of the requirements of this subsection, including opportunities for training.

(9) By January 1, 2019, the Board and the Board of Medicine, in consultation with the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, shall jointly develop and promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of this subsection.

(h)(1) A licensed pharmacist may initiate, modify, or discontinue a drug therapy regimen pursuant to a collaborative practice agreement with a licensed physician, or, pursuant to § 3-1204.12, other health practitioner.

(2) The Board and the Board of Medicine shall jointly develop and issue regulations governing the implementation and use of collaborative practice agreements between a licensed pharmacist and a licensed physician. At minimum, the regulations shall:

(A) Require that all collaborative practice agreements include:

(i) Specification of the drug therapy to be provided and any tests that may be necessarily incident to its provision;

(ii) The conditions for initiating, modifying, or discontinuing a drug therapy; and

(iii) Directions concerning the monitoring of a drug therapy, including the conditions that would warrant a modification to the dose, dosage regime, or dosage form of the drug therapy; and

(B) Establish policies and procedures for approving, disapproving, and revoking collaborative practice agreements.

(i) Repealed.

(j) Repealed.

(k) Repealed.

(l) Repealed.

(m) Repealed.