LTC providers ‘win’ with new regs on drug repackaging, group says
Published by McKnight’s
Guidance on medication repackaging recently published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is earning praise from one long-term care pharmacy group, which says the final guidelines help reduce drug-related risks for residents.
The final guidance, published Thursday, included the elimination of a proposed 14-day limit on pre-packaging medications that could have put residents at risk and added significant compliance costs for long-term care pharmacies, the Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition said. Long-term care pharmacies can repackage medications under the final guidance, as long as the drugs do not leave the pharmacy without a patient-specific prescription or chart order.
The FDA’s guidelines also permit long-term care pharmacies to continue to use remote dispensing technology, and supply non-sterile products to facilities in emergency kits.
“The Agency heard our concerns about the unintended consequences of its original draft and agreed to exercise enforcement discretion to permit needed medication packaging and emergency kit practices to continue,” said Alan G. Rosenbloom, president and CEO of SCPC.
Rosenbloom added that the FDA’s guidance “represents a strong start for the LTC pharmacy sector in 2017, and more broadly recognizes LTC pharmacies’ unique value in the U.S. health care continuum.”
Click here to see the original article on the McKnight’s website.
Recent Posts
-
House Lawmakers Push Bipartisan IRA Fix To Boost LTC Pharmacy Pay
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers introduced legislation aimed at ensuring long-term care (LTC) pharmacies are paid an adequate supply fee to maintain patient access to prescription drugs for which prices are lowered through the Medicare drug price negotiation program, with the new maximum fair prices (MFPs) for the first group of selected drugs to take effect at the start of 2026.
-
Bill would fix drug-negotiation pricing flaw that undercuts LTC pharmacists’ viability
Lawmakers have proposed a supply fee to bolster long-term care pharmacies facing major revenue losses with the implementation of negotiated prices on 10 commonly prescribed medications Jan. 1.
The Preserving Patient Access to Long-Term Pharmacies Act establishes a $30 per Medicare Part D prescription in 2026 and 2027.
-
Rep. Van Duyne Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Seniors’ Access to Long-Term Care Pharmacies
Washington, D.C. – Representatives Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Buddy Carter (R-GA), Sharice Davids (D-KS), and Deborah Ross (D-NC) introduced H.R. 5031 Preserving Patient Access to Long-Term Care Pharmacies Act, bipartisan legislation to protect access to essential medications and pharmacy services for seniors and other long-term care (LTC) residents in nursing homes, assisted living, and similar […]
Stay in the Know
Get the latest news and updates on issues impacting the long-term pharmacy community.