After several months of deliberations, the Washington State Board of Pharmacy unanimously voted on June 1st in favor of a proposed rule concerning pharmacists’ professional responsibilities.  The Board will receive public comments at a hearing on August 31, 2006.  If the rule is approved by a majority of the board members, it would go into effect 30 days later.

The proposed rule does not specifically deal with the issue of whether pharmacists have the right to follow their conscience and not dispense a medication or device to which they object for religious or moral reasons.  While for some people the primary issue is the availability of Plan B, a “morning after” pill, the Board of Pharmacy is dealing with broader issues.  Pharmacy stocking requirements and patient safety are also issues.   

Consumers understand that pharmacies cannot stock all drugs.  For financial reasons, pharmacies could not possibly stock all medications for the same reason that shoe stores could not possibly carry every size and style of shoe available on the market.  However, pharmacies do carry those drugs that people in their community customarily request. 

The proposed rule being considered by the Board of Pharmacy states that a pharmacist must provide timely alternatives for a patient to receive treatment, if the pharmacist cannot dispense a lawfully prescribed drug or device.  These alternatives may include, but are not limited to:

   (a) referring the patient or patient’s agent to another on-site pharmacist;
   (b) if requested by patient or their agents, transfer the prescription to a pharmacy of the patient’s choice;
   (c) providing the medication at another time consistent with the normal timeframe for the prescription;
   (d) consulting with the prescriber to provide an alternative medication therapy;
   (e) return unfilled lawful prescriptions to the patient or agent; or
   (f) provide to patient or agent a timely alternative for appropriate therapy.

Pharmacists on the Board repeatedly spoke of their professional duty to provide optimal pharmaceutical care to ensure the health and well being of the individual patient as well as of the general public.  They reiterated that it is in the public’s best interest for pharmacists to consult with their patients to ensure safe and appropriate medication therapy.