TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2020

BOARD ISSUES ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE TO PHARMACIST-MANAGERS TAKING IN-PHARMACY MEASURES TO REDUCE THE RISK OF COVID-19 TRANSMISSION.  North Carolina law requires that a pharmacy, among other things, be "kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition."  21 NCAC 46.1601.  "Sanitary" conditions plainly include conditions sufficient to minimize the risk of transmission of communicable disease within a pharmacy.

Under North Carolina law, the pharmacist-manager is the person to whom the Board issues a pharmacy permit (NCGS 90-85.21) and is, therefore, "the person who accepts responsibility for the operation of a pharmacy in conformance with all statutes and rules pertinent to the practice of pharmacy."  21 NCAC 46.1317(27).

The Board’s Expanded Emergency Services Waiver issued on March 17, 2020 stated, in part:
The Board strongly supports efforts by pharmacies and pharmacists to adjust work flows and processes within a pharmacy to reduce the risk of person-to-person coronavirus transmission.  Such efforts might include, but are not limited to:  not physically handling patient identifications at the point of dispensing; not requiring a physical signature for pick-up of a prescription; increasing use of prescription delivery service; limiting the number of patients physically entering a pharmacy; enforcing social distancing within a pharmacy. 

The Board emphasizes that the pharmacist-manager is the person authorized by law to ensure compliance with these standards.  Improper interference with a pharmacist-manager’s carrying out these duties and responsibilities subjects a pharmacy permit to potential disciplinary action, up to and including revocation.  Likewise, a person licensed by, or registered with, the Board who improperly interferes with a pharmacist-manager’s carrying out these duties and responsibilities is subject to potential disciplinary action, up to and including revocation.