AT LEAST WE KNOW YOU READ THE NEWSLETTER

Thanks to all of the many pharmacists who spoke to me personally or called, wrote, e-mailed, or faxed the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy office to point out the error in the formulation for Percocet that appeared in the last newsletter.

For those few who questioned whether the Board had the power to force the drug company to change the formulation, we do not. Percocet still contains oxycodone, not hydrocodone. The similarity of the new Percocet strengths to the formulations of the various hydrocodone/APAP formulations was on my mind as I prepared the article, and it carried through in my typing.

The part of the article that dealt with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) policy on changes to CII prescriptions was the primary part of the article, and was factual. This policy applies to all CII prescriptions, not just the new Percocet formulations. From speaking with many pharmacists around the state, I know that this was a very popular policy change from DEA, and one that will make everyone’s job easier. I apologize for any confusion that I may have caused.

– Bill Winsley, Executive Director

NEW APN PRESCRIBING BILL TO BECOME EFFECTIVE

On May 17, 2000, House Bill (HB) 241 becomes effective. This bill grants prescribing authority, under a protocol with a collaborating physician, to any Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) in Ohio who meets the criteria listed in this bill.

However, it will be quite some time before any APNs are licensed under the terms of this bill. The Board of Nursing has to appoint a committee to write rules for the program, and to develop a formulary for each of the specialties involved. The Board of Pharmacy will be appointing one Board member and one clinical pharmacist to participate on this committee. The committee has a defined period of time to prepare the rules and the formularies for the Nursing Board to review and implement.

After the rules are filed and in effect, each newly approved APN will serve a one-year externship under close supervision, except for APNs currently licensed under the trial program already in progress. Because of the amount of time required to appoint committee members, develop the formularies, and to write and implement the rules, we do not expect that any APNs will begin their externship period or become licensed under the terms of this bill until the fall of 2001 at the earliest.

However, the trial program already in place will continue through the fall of 2001. Presently, approximately 150 APNs have been granted prescribing privileges as part of the trial program that was approved several years ago by the State Legislature. Additional candidates may be appointed by the Board of Nursing prior to May 17, 2000, but after that date, the number of APNs licensed under the trial program may not increase.

These nurses are required to put their three-digit prescribing authority license number on every prescription they write. This license number also is followed by one or more of the letters A, P, O, or G, which stand for Adult, Pediatric, Ob-Gyn, and Geriatric. These letters describe the protocol(s) the APN is authorized to use.

At present, the trial-program APNs may write for the majority of the non-controlled drugs that would be used within the patient population covered by the appropriate protocol definition. Trial program APNs may not write any CII prescriptions, and may only write CIII-V prescriptions for a one-time, 72-hour supply if the drugs are listed on the protocol. The protocols are currently available from the Board of Nursing for a fee, and will soon be available on its Web site located at www.state.oh.us/nur.

The requirements and procedures currently in place for the trial program will change after the implementation of HB 241. Again, we do not anticipate that any APN will be licensed to prescribe under the terms of HB 241 until the fall of 2001. However, we will review the new procedures and requirements prior to that time in a future newsletter.

PROPOSED RULES ADOPTED AND BECOME EFFECTIVE

Most of the rules developed by the Ad Hoc Committee on Rule Review and approved by the Board last year became effective on March 31, 2000. These rules are currently on the Board’s Home Page at www.state.oh.us/pharmacy in two separate locations. You may review the rules with the changes clearly marked by clicking on the box What’s New, then clicking on Rules Effective March 31, 2000 Showing Changes. This is a good way to see what changes were made to each rule without the need to compare word-for-word with the previous version. If you want a copy of the rule with the changes incorporated rather than shown, click on the Laws & Rules box on the home page, then click on Administrative Code Rules. At that point, the entire set of Pharmacy Board rules is listed by rule number and title. Click on the appropriate rule number to read, print, or copy it.

If you do not have access to the Internet, you may contact the Board Office (attn: Sandie Butler) for a hard copy of the document showing the changes to the rules.

DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS

Anyone having a question regarding the license status of a particular practitioner, nurse, pharmacist, pharmacy intern, or dangerous drug distributor in Ohio should contact the appropriate licensing board:

State Dental Board--614/466-2580, www.state.oh.us/den/

State Medical Board--614/466-3934, www.state.oh.us/med/

State Nursing Board--614/466-3947, www.state.oh.us/nur/

State Optometry Board--614/466-5115, www.state.oh.us/opt/

State Pharmacy Board--614/466-4143, www.state.oh.us/pharmacy/

State Veterinary Medical Board--614/644-5281

Drug Enforcement Administration--800/230-6844

STATE PHARMACY BOARD:

The disciplinary actions listed below include only those where the individual’s license to practice has been suspended, revoked, or restricted, and does not include any other actions taken by the Board. All actions may be seen in the minutes, which are posted on the Internet at the Board's home page (see address above) then click on Board Minutes.

Jeffrey Scott Dannemiller, R.Ph.; Akron - License revoked - 10/07/99.

Matthew Earl Fisher, R.Ph.; Kenton Hills, KY - License reinstated effective 01/26/00; but may not serve as a preceptor or train pharmacy interns, may not serve as a responsible pharmacist, and may not destroy, or assist in the destruction of, controlled substances until January 26, 2005 - 01/13/00.

James F. Liebetrau, R.Ph.; Cincinnati - License reinstated effective 10/05/99 but may not serve as a preceptor or train pharmacy interns, may not serve as a responsible pharmacist, and may not destroy, or assist in the destruction of, controlled substances until October 5, 2004 - 09/09/99.

The Medicine Shoppe, T.D.; Dayton - License revoked - 10/07/99.

Elizabeth R. Murcia, R.Ph.; Indian Springs - License reinstated effective 12/09/99; but may not serve as a preceptor or train pharmacy interns, may not serve as a responsible pharmacist, and may not destroy, or assist in the destruction of, controlled substances until December 9, 2004 - 07/14/99.

Gerald R. Poorbaugh, R.Ph.; Sebring - May not serve as a preceptor or train pharmacy interns for two years - 12/16/99.

Bruce A. Wachsman, R.Ph.; Germantown, TN - License suspended indefinitely and may not be employed by or work in a facility licensed by the Board while suspended - 11/15/99.

Joseph John Zika, R.Ph.; Bronston, KY - License revoked - 11/15/99.

Summary Suspensions:

Jay Stephan Belcher, R.Ph.; Cincinnati; Effective 02/08/00.

Steven J. Brownsberger, R.Ph.; Medina; Effective 02/08/00.

Thomas William Foti, R.Ph.; New Philadelphia; Effective 10/05/99.

Michael Scott Gladeiux, R.Ph.; Perrysburg; Effective 03/07/00.

Elizabeth M. Hartranft, R.Ph.; Bay Village; Effective 02/22/00.

Suellen Ogden, R.Ph.; Cleveland; Effective 11/23/99.

Patricia McCann Parks, R.Ph.; Defiance; Effective 01/11/00.

Michael Popovich, R.Ph.; Weirton, WV; Effective 02/10/00.

Raymond Frederick Strahley, R.Ph.; North Canton; Effective 12/14/99.

Robert Frank Tschinkel, R.Ph.; Hudson; Effective 12/14/99.

STATE MEDICAL BOARD:

A document of legal actions taken by the Medical Board may be accessed on the Internet at the Medical Board's home page (see address above) then click on Monthly Formal Actions. If you would like a more detailed history of a legal action for an individual practitioner, go Back to the Medical Board's home page, click on the Licensee Profile & Status tag, then follow the instructions. Please contact the Medical Board if you have questions.

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