“Tobacco cessation therapy” means a tobacco cessation noncontrolled prescription medication, over-the-counter medication or other professional service, that is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for treating tobacco use including all of the various dosage forms.
A licensed pharmacist may initiate and dispense a noncontrolled prescription medication, over-the-counter medication, or other professional service to a patient who is 18 years old or older, pursuant to a standing prescription drug order by a person licensed to prescribe a tobacco cessation therapy.
The Commissioner of the Bureau for Public Health may prescribe on a statewide basis a tobacco cessation therapy by one or more standing orders permitting pharmacists to initiate the dispensing of noncontrolled prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, or other professional services to eligible individuals.
The Board of Pharmacy shall approve a training program or programs to be eligible to participate in the utilization of the standing prescription drug order for tobacco cessation therapy by a pharmacist.
A pharmacist who dispenses a tobacco cessation therapy shall follow the Tobacco Cessation Therapy Protocol that has been approved by the Commissioner of the Bureau for Public Health in collaboration with the Board of Pharmacy and the Board of Medicine, before dispensing the tobacco cessation therapy. The protocol shall include the:
(1) Criteria for identifying individuals eligible to receive the tobacco cessation therapy or other professional services under the protocol, and referral to an appropriate prescriber if the patient is high-risk or therapy is contraindicated;
(2) Medications authorized by the protocol;
(3) Procedures for initiation and monitoring of therapies, including a care plan based on clinical guidelines;
(4) Education requirement to be provided to the person receiving the medications and follow-up care;
(5) Documentation procedures in the pharmacy system; and
(6) Notification of the individual’s primary care provider, if provided, within two business days.
If when following the protocol it is indicated that it is unsafe to dispense a tobacco cessation therapy to a patient, the pharmacist: (A) May not dispense a tobacco cessation therapy to the patient; and (B) Shall refer the patient to their primary care provider.
