ASSEMBLY, No. 223

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Assemblywoman WEINBERG and Assemblyman ZISA

An Act providing for the posting of certain information by pharmacists and amending R.S.45:14-32.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. R.S.45:14-32 is amended to read as follows:

    45:14-32. No pharmacy or drug store shall be opened or kept open for the transaction of business or for rendering professional services until or unless it has been registered with and a permit therefor has been issued to it by the board.

    The terms "pharmacy" and "drug store" as used in this section and in sections 45:14-33 to 45:14-36 of this title mean an establishment or place of business which, under the provisions of this chapter, is required to be operated or managed at all times by a registered pharmacist.

    Nothing contained in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the dispensing of drugs in a hospital, nursing home, convalescent center, industrial dispensary, medical clinic or similar institution; provided, however, that such institution shall have first obtained a permit from the board, which shall be designated as an institutional permit. Where such institution does not have a pharmacy on its premises, it may enter into an agreement for pharmaceutical services with a pharmacy registered in this State. The registered pharmacist shall be responsible for maintaining such records and controls as may be required by the board.

    Drugs dispensed under such institutional permits shall be dispensed only to in-patients, employees of the institution and out-patients who are treated by staff members of the institution in their respective clinics.

    The board may adopt rules and regulations establishing minimum standards for the amount of equipment, supplies, physical space, hours of operation and other requirements relating to the compounding and dispensing of prescription items by such institutions.

    The board shall adopt rules and regulations to require that a pharmacy display in a conspicuous place and a visible manner a sign which contains the following information: the role of the board; procedures for filing a complaint with the board; and the name, address and telephone number of the board.

    The fees charged by the board for the issuance, transfer or renewal of an institutional permit shall be the same as the fees charged for a regular pharmacy permit.

(cf: P.L.1971, c.248, s.1)

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill requires every pharmacy in the State to prominently display a sign which advises consumers how to file a complaint with the State Board of Pharmacy and includes the name, address and telephone number of the board.

    This bill is in response to an undercover survey by the State Board of Pharmacy reported in The Sunday Record of Bergen County (September 17, 1995), which indicated that most consumers are unaware of the regulatory role of the board and how to file complaints when they experience a pharmacy-related problem.

Requires pharmacies to post sign advising consumers how to file complaint with State Board of Pharmacy.