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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to provision of an opioid antagonist to a person who is |
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filling a prescription for an opioid medication. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 483.103, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Subsection (b-1) and amending Subsection (c) to |
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read as follows: |
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(b-1) A pharmacist may dispense an opioid antagonist |
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without a prescription to a person to whom the pharmacist is |
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dispensing an opioid medication under a prescription if: |
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(1) the opioid is prescribed in conjunction with |
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benzodiazepine medication; |
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(2) the prescription of the dispensed medication |
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directs the patient to take 90 morphine milligram equivalents or |
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more daily; |
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(3) in the pharmacist's professional opinion, the |
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patient is at risk of accidental overdose or potential abuse or |
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overuse; or |
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(4) the physician who issued the prescription has |
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communicated to the pharmacist that in the physician's professional |
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opinion, the patient is at risk of accidental overdose or potential |
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abuse or overuse. |
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(c) A pharmacist who, acting in good faith and with |
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reasonable care, dispenses or does not dispense an opioid |
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antagonist under a valid prescription or on the pharmacist's own |
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initiative under Subsection (b-1) is not subject to any criminal or |
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civil liability or any professional disciplinary action for: |
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(1) dispensing or failing to dispense the opioid |
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antagonist; or |
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(2) if the pharmacist chooses to dispense an opioid |
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antagonist, any outcome resulting from the eventual administration |
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of the opioid antagonist. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a person to whom the pharmacist dispenses an opioid medication |
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under a prescription on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |