It needs to be finalized before it goes to the Governor.
Annapolis, Md (KM) If you rely on self-administered medications and maintenance injectable medications, you may be able to get them from your local drug store. A bill sponsored by Frederick County Delegate Karen Lewis Young would let pharmacists who meet certain criteria to administer these medications. The legislation has passed both House of the Maryland General Assembly.
“It means a medicine that administered by injection other than intravenously,” Delegate Young says. “Usually, it’s treats a chronic need condition or disorder.”
Some of these medications treat psychiatric or substance use disorders. They are also contraceptives and vitamins.
“So what this bill does it is says that a licensed pharmacist may administer a maintenance injectable medication as long as it’s not a biological product to a patient,” Delegate Young continues.
She says the COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for some patients to obtain these medications. “The need for this capability became obvious as we saw more and more citizens that were challenge by substance abuse, mental illness, and they had limited access to their medications,” Delegate Young says.
Even though this measure has passed both the House of Delegates and the State Senate, Delegate Young says it still needs to clear one more hurdle before it’s sent to the Governor’s desk for his signature. “The Senate has to pass the House crossover, and the House has to pass the Senate crossover before it goes to the Governor,” she says.
That will happen after Crossover Day which occurs later in the month.
By Kevin McManus