October 1999 Newsletter

DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS
The following disciplinary actions were taken by the Board during the three month period of June, July, and August 1999.

Astrup, Daniel B., License #113575-4. Licensee violated the terms of his probation with the Board by diverting controlled substance drugs from his pharmacy for his personal use without having a prescription issued by a licensed practitioner. Licensee was suspended indefinitely. Licensee may apply for reinstatement of his license to practice pharmacy not earlier than 180 days from June 23, 1999. A petition for reinstatement must demonstrate compliance with certain specified conditions.

BOARD TAKES POSITION ON "MORNING AFTER" PILL
At its meeting of June 23, 1999, the Board discussed the issue of the recently marketed "morning after" pill and the position being taken by some individual pharmacists who, for personal, moral, ethical, or religious reasons, refuse to dispense prescriptions for this medication, and from certain pharmacy chains who, as a corporate policy, are refusing to stock this medication.

The Board's position is that, for the protection of the public, a pharmacist has an obligation to either fill legitimate prescriptions for this drug, or provide an alternative for the patient for getting the prescription filled by another staff person at the pharmacy or at another pharmacy. These arrangements must be made ahead of time so that the alternatives can be made available immediately to patients who present such a prescription. Further, employee pharmacists must discuss their concerns about filling these types of prescriptions ahead of time with their management so that staffing arrangements or arrangements with other pharmacies can be made ahead of time. If a pharmacy chooses not to honor such prescriptions, it is the responsibility of the pharmacist-in-charge to make arrangements with a nearby pharmacy to fill these prescriptions so that the appropriate nformation can be communicated immediately to patients.

PHARMACY SURVEYOR POSITION OPEN
As was indicated in the last newsletter, Pharmacy Board Surveyor Lloyd C. Pekas has retired from the Board staff after nearly 22 years as a Pharmacy Board Surveyor.

The Board is currently accepting applications for the vacant inspector position through Monday, November 15, 1999. Interested candidates must be licensed to practice pharmacy in Minnesota. Pharmacy Board Surveyors inspect all pharmacies, drug wholesalers, and drug manufacturers in Minnesota for compliance with state and federal laws, assist pharmacists with compliance issues, and conduct investigations of complaints. Statewide travel is required.

Interested pharmacists should contact the Board of Pharmacy office for further information and for applications.

PHONE NUMBER CLARIFICATION
It is just been brought to the attention of the Board that the phone numbers for both the Board of Pharmacy office and the Minnesota Book Store, which are found inside the front cover of the newest version of the laws relating to the practice of pharmacy, available from the Minnesota Book Store, are in error. The correct metro area phone number for the Minnesota Book Store is 651/297-3000. The correct phone number for the Board of Pharmacy office is 612/617-2201. Both of these phone numbers, as printed on the inside cover of the tan-colored booklet of pharmacy laws, are incorrect. Please use the numbers given here when calling either the Board of Pharmacy office or the Minnesota Book Store.

BOARD HOSTS DISTRICT MEETING
During the middle of August, the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy hosted a meeting of the pharmacy boards and colleges of pharmacy from NABP/AACP District V. Representatives from the Boards and Colleges in North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Manitoba, and Minnesota convened in Duluth for the meeting. Discussion topics included manpower, specialty certification, use of technology, rural pharmacy issues, internships, and technicians.

It is anticipated that these discussions will provide a framework for the boards and colleges in the upper Midwest to work cooperatively on these issues.

PHARMACY BOARD WEBSITE NOW OPERATIONAL
The Board of Pharmacy is pleased to announce that its website is now operational, and up-to-date information is available on a number of topics. Links to other websites of interest to pharmacists are also provided.

Please visit our new website at www.phcybrd.state.mn.us.

BOARD CONSIDERING NEED FOR FEE INCREASES
Based on the biennial budget for Fiscal Years 2000 and 2001, which was approved by the Legislature during the 1999 Session, the Board of Pharmacy is obligated to raise its licensing fees. The Board will begin the fee increase rule making process during the fall.

Pharmacists and pharmacies, whose fees were last increased in 1997, will likely see a 10% increase. Wholesalers and manufacturers, whose fees were last increased in 1993, will likely see a 20% increase.

Details of the proposed fee increases will be made available in a future newsletter.

PATIENT CONFIDENTIALITY / ASSURANCE OF PRIVACY
Board of Pharmacy surveyors report that a number of Minnesota pharmacies have still not developed a patient counseling area that provides patients with an assurance of the privacy for their conversations with the pharmacist.

In the past, when pharmacists were seldom providing meaningful counseling to patients, the need for a patient counseling area, separated from the prescription department checkout location, was less important. With pharmacists now providing more patient counseling and a higher level of patient counseling, the need for a counseling area that will accommodate private conversations is more important.

Pharmacists are encouraged to take a look at the area designated for patient counseling in their pharmacies and, putting themselves in their patients' shoes for a moment, ask themselves whether they would want to discuss sensitive healthcare issues at a time when the pharmacy is relatively busy. If conversations with the pharmacist at the current patient counseling area are easily overheard by others, consideration needs to be given to addressing that issue.

CURRENT STATISTICS

The following statistics may be of interest to Minnesota pharmacists. All numbers are shown as recorded on May 12, 1999.