Surplus medication collection and distribution.

Existing law authorizes a county to establish a repository and distribution program for the donation of surplus medication and redistribution to persons in need of financial assistance to ensure access to necessary pharmaceutical therapies. This bill would, until January 1, 2030, authorize a regional pilot program in the Counties of Santa Clara and San Mateo and the City and County of San Francisco for the purpose of implementing and maintaining a repository and distribution program, as specified. The bill would require participating pharmacies in the regional pilot program to be owned or operated by one of the 3 counties and not on probation with the California State Board of Pharmacy. The bill would exempt the regional pilot program from a specified provision that generally applies to donation of surplus medication redistribution programs. Specifically for the regional pilot program, this bill would authorize donated medication to be transferred more than once, but only within a county, and would allow donated medication from multiple facilities to be commingled by the participating entity. The bill would require participants to maintain a system of recording and logging donated medication to allow the tracking, as specified, and to disclose to the Board of Pharmacy any medication errors, as defined, within 30 days of discovery of the error by the participating entity. This bill would, on January 1, 2028, require the Board of Pharmacy to submit to the Legislature an evaluation of the regional pilot program and the pilot program participants' compliance to program requirements. Existing law defines a donor organization to refer to specified health and care facilities that may donate centrally stored, unused medications. This bill would expand the list of entities that may act as a donor organization to include a facility licensed by the State Department of Social Services, the State Department of Public Health, the State Department of Health Care Services, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice, and other specified licensed facilities. Existing law authorizes a pharmacy, licensed in California and not on probation with the California State Board of Pharmacy, whose primary or sole type of pharmacy practice type is limited to a skilled nursing facility, home health care, board and care, or mail order, to donate unused, unexpired medication, as specified. This bill would authorize any pharmacy, licensed in California and not on probation with the California State Board of Pharmacy, to donate unused, unexpired medication, as specified. This bill would exempt specified persons and entities, including a prescription drug manufacturer, a participating entity, and a pharmacist or physician, from criminal or civil liability for an injury caused when any entity or person donates, accepts, or dispenses prescription drugs in compliance with specified provisions. The bill would also include a surplus medication collection and distribution intermediary in this exemption, as specified. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for these 3 counties.