Florida Senate - 2008 CS for SB 1360
By the Committee on Health Regulation; and Senator Peaden
588-04930-08 20081360c1
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to pharmacy technicians; providing a short
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title; amending s. 465.0075, F.S.; revising licensure
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requirements; amending s. 465.014, F.S.; providing for the
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registration of pharmacy technicians; requiring that a
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registered pharmacy technician be under the direct
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supervision of a licensed pharmacist; requiring the Board
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of Pharmacy to set fees and rules for the registration of
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pharmacy technicians; providing qualification
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requirements; providing a limitation; exempting pharmacy
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technician students and licensed pharmacy interns from
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registration requirements; providing continuing education
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requirements for registration renewal; requiring the board
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to adopt rules; providing grounds for denial, suspension,
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or revocation of registration or other disciplinary
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action; authorizing the board to impose certain penalties;
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requiring completion of a pharmacy technician training
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program in order to register as a pharmacy technician by a
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specified date; providing an exception to the requirement
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to complete a training program; amending s. 465.015, F.S.;
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prohibiting a person who is not registered as a pharmacy
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technician from performing certain functions or holding
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himself or herself out to others as a registered pharmacy
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F.S., relating to institutional pharmacies, special
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pharmacy permits, and Internet pharmacy permits;
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conforming references; providing effective dates.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. This act may be cited as the "Beth Hippely
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Memorial Prescription Drug Safety Act."
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Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 465.0075, Florida
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Statutes, is amended to read:
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465.0075 Licensure by endorsement; requirements; fee.--
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(1) The department shall issue a license by endorsement to
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any applicant who applies to the department and remits a
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nonrefundable fee of not more than $100, as set by the board, and
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whom the board certifies:
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(a) Has met the qualifications for licensure in s.
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465.007(1)(b) and (c);
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(b) Has obtained a passing score, as established by rule of
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the board, on the licensure examination of the National
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Association of Boards of Pharmacy or a similar nationally
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recognized examination, if the board certifies that the applicant
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has taken the required examination not more than 12 years prior
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to application;
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(c)1. Has submitted evidence of the active licensed
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practice of pharmacy, including practice in community or public
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health by persons employed by a governmental entity, in another
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jurisdiction for at least 2 of the immediately preceding 5 years
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or evidence of successful completion of board-approved
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postgraduate training or a board-approved clinical competency
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examination within the year immediately preceding application for
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licensure; or
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2. Has completed an internship meeting the requirements of
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s. 465.007(1)(c) within the 2 years immediately preceding
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application; and
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(d) Has obtained a passing score on the pharmacy
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jurisprudence portions of the licensure examination, as required
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by board rule.
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Section 3. Section 465.014, Florida Statutes, is amended to
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read:
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465.014 Pharmacy technician.--
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(1) A No person other than a licensed pharmacist or
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pharmacy intern may not engage in the practice of the profession
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of pharmacy, except that a licensed pharmacist may delegate to
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nonlicensed pharmacy technicians who are registered pursuant to
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this section those duties, tasks, and functions that which do not
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fall within the purview of s. 465.003(13). All such delegated
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acts shall be performed under the direct supervision of a
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licensed pharmacist who shall be responsible for all such acts
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performed by persons under his or her supervision. A registered
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pharmacy technician, under the supervision of a pharmacist, may
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initiate or receive communications with a practitioner or his or
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her agent, on behalf of a patient, regarding refill authorization
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requests. A No licensed pharmacist may not shall supervise more
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than one registered pharmacy technician unless otherwise
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permitted by the guidelines adopted by the board. The board shall
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establish guidelines to be followed by licensees or permittees in
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determining the circumstances under which a licensed pharmacist
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may supervise up to three registered more than one but not more
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than three pharmacy technicians.
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(2) Any person who wishes to work as a pharmacy technician
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in this state must register by filing an application with the
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board on a form adopted by rule of the board. The board shall
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register each applicant who has remitted a registration fee set
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by the board, not to exceed $50 biennially; has completed the
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application form and remitted a nonrefundable application fee set
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by the board, not to exceed $50; has earned a high school diploma
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or GED; and is at least 18 years of age.
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(3) A person whose license to practice pharmacy has been
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denied, suspended, or restricted for disciplinary purposes is not
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eligible to register as a pharmacy technician.
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(4) Notwithstanding the requirements of this section or any
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other provision of law, a pharmacy technician student who is
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enrolled in a pharmacy technician training program that is
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accredited by the National Community Pharmacy Association, the
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American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, any other national
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pharmacy association training program governed by the Department
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of Education, or another pharmacy technician training program
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approved by the board may be placed in a pharmacy for the purpose
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of obtaining practical training. A pharmacy technician student
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must wear identification that indicates his or her student status
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when performing the functions of a pharmacy technician, and
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registration under this section is not required.
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(5) Notwithstanding the requirements of this section or any
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other provision of law, a person who is licensed by the state as
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a pharmacy intern may be employed as a registered pharmacy
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technician without paying a registration fee or filing an
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application with the board to register as a pharmacy technician.
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(6) As a condition of registration renewal, a pharmacy
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technician must complete 20 hours biennially of continuing
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education courses approved by the board or the Accreditation
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Council for Pharmacy Education, of which 4 hours must be via live
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presentation and 2 hours must be related to the prevention of
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medication errors and pharmacy law.
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(7) The board shall adopt rules that require each
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registration issued by the board under this section to be
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displayed in such a manner as to make it available to the public
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and to facilitate inspection by the department. The board may
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adopt other rules as necessary to administer this section.
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(8) If the board finds that an applicant for registration
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as a pharmacy technician or that a registered pharmacy technician
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has committed an act that constitutes grounds for discipline as
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set forth in s. 456.072(1) or has committed an act that
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constitutes grounds for denial of a license or disciplinary
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action as set forth in this chapter, including an act that
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constitutes a substantial violation of s. 456.072(1) or a
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violation of this chapter which occurred before the applicant or
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registrant was registered as a pharmacy technician, the board may
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enter an order imposing any of the penalties specified in s.
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456.072(2) against the applicant or registrant.
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Section 4. Effective January 1, 2011, subsection (2) of
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section 465.014, Florida Statutes, as amended by this act, is
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amended to read:
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(2) Any person who wishes to work as a pharmacy technician
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in this state must register by filing an application with the
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board on a form adopted by rule of the board. The board shall
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register each applicant who has remitted a registration fee set
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by the board, not to exceed $50 biennially; has completed the
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application form and remitted a nonrefundable application fee set
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by the board, not to exceed $50; has earned a high school diploma
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or GED; and is at least 18 years of age; and has completed a
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pharmacy technician training program accredited by the National
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Community Pharmacists Association, the American Society of
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Health-System Pharmacists, the Department of Education, or
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another program approved by the Board of Pharmacy.
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Section 5. Notwithstanding any requirements in s. 465.014
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(2), Florida Statutes, any registered pharmacy technician
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registered pursuant to s. 465.014, Florida Statutes, before
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January 1, 2011, who has worked as a pharmacy technician for a
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minimum of 1,500 hours under the supervision of a licensed
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pharmacist or received certification as a pharmacy technician by
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the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or any certification
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program approved by the National Commission for Certifying
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Agencies is exempt from the requirement to complete an initial
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training program for purposes of registration as required by s.
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465.014(2), Florida Statutes. The Board of Pharmacy shall
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prescribe by rule the documentation that such a registered
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pharmacy technician must submit in order to verify his or her
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compliance with the provisions of this section. This section
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expires December 31, 2015.
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Section 6. Effective January 1, 2010, paragraph (d) is
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added to subsection (3) of section 465.015, Florida Statutes, to
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read:
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465.015 Violations and penalties.--
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(3)
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(d) It is unlawful for a person who is not registered as a
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pharmacy technician under this chapter or who is not otherwise
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exempt from the requirement to register as a pharmacy technician,
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to perform the functions of a registered pharmacy technician, or
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to hold himself or herself out to others as a person who is
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registered to perform the functions of a registered pharmacy
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technician in this state.
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Section 7. Effective January 1, 2010, subsection (5) of
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section 465.019, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
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465.019 Institutional pharmacies; permits.--
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(5) All institutional pharmacies shall be under the
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professional supervision of a consultant pharmacist, and the
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compounding and dispensing of medicinal drugs shall be done only
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by a licensed pharmacist. Every institutional pharmacy that
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employs or otherwise uses registered utilizes pharmacy
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technicians shall have a written policy and procedures manual
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specifying those duties, tasks, and functions that which a
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registered pharmacy technician is allowed to perform.
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Section 8. Effective January 1, 2010, section 465.0196,
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Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
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465.0196 Special pharmacy permits.--Any person desiring a
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permit to operate a special pharmacy shall apply to the
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department for a special pharmacy permit. If the board certifies
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that the application complies with the applicable laws and rules
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of the board governing the practice of the profession of
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pharmacy, the department shall issue the permit. A No permit may
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not shall be issued unless a licensed pharmacist is designated to
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undertake the professional supervision of the compounding and
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dispensing of all drugs dispensed by the pharmacy. The licensed
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pharmacist shall be responsible for maintaining all drug records
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and for providing for the security of the area in the facility in
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which the compounding, storing, and dispensing of medicinal drugs
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occurs. The permittee shall notify the department within 10 days
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after of any change of the licensed pharmacist responsible for
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such duties. Each Every permittee that employs or otherwise uses
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registered utilizes pharmacy technicians shall have a written
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policy and procedures manual specifying those duties, tasks, and
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functions that which a registered pharmacy technician is allowed
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to perform.
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Section 9. Subsection (1) of section 465.0197, Florida
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Statutes, is amended to read:
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465.0197 Internet pharmacy permits.--
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(1) Any person desiring a permit to operate an Internet
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pharmacy shall apply to the department for an Internet pharmacy
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permit. If the board certifies that the application complies with
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the applicable laws and rules of the board governing the practice
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of the profession of pharmacy, the department shall issue the
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permit. A No permit may not shall be issued unless a licensed
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pharmacist is designated as the prescription department manager
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for dispensing medicinal drugs to persons in this state. The
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licensed pharmacist shall be responsible for maintaining all drug
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records and for providing for the security of the area in the
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facility in which the compounding, storing, and dispensing of
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medicinal drugs to persons in this state occurs. The permittee
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shall notify the department within 30 days after of any change of
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the licensed pharmacist responsible for such duties. A Every
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permittee that employs or otherwise uses registered utilizes
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pharmacy technicians shall have a written policy and procedures
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manual specifying those duties, tasks, and functions that which a
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registered pharmacy technician is allowed to perform.
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Section 10. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
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act, this act shall take effect upon becoming a law.
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.