Prescription drug labels: accessibility.

Existing law, the Pharmacy Law, provides for the licensure and regulation of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacies by the California State Board of Pharmacy. Existing law requires the board to promulgate regulations that require a standardized, patient-centered, prescription drug label on all prescription medicine dispensed to patients in California. Existing law prohibits a pharmacist from dispensing a prescription except in a container that meets the requirements of state and federal law and is correctly labeled with prescribed information. Existing law makes a violation of its provisions a crime. Existing law requires a dispenser, upon request, to provide translated directions for use, as prescribed. Existing law authorizes a dispenser to use translations made available by the board pursuant to specified regulations of the board and provides that a dispenser is not required to provide translated directions for use beyond the languages that the board has made available or beyond the directions that the board has made available in translated form. Existing law authorizes a dispenser to provide their own translated directions for use to comply with these provisions and prohibits the provisions from being construed to prohibit a dispenser from providing translated directions for use in languages beyond those that the board has made available or beyond the directions that the board has made available in translated form. This bill would also expressly require a dispenser to provide translated directions for use in the languages the board has made available. This bill, except as specified, would require a dispenser, if a person informs a pharmacy that the person identifies as a person who is blind, has low-vision, or is otherwise print disabled, to provide to the person or their authorized representative, at no additional cost, an accessible prescription label affixed to the container that meets prescribed requirements. If the accessible prescription label does not fit on the container, the bill would require the dispenser, upon dispensing the prescription drug, to provide the patient or their authorized representative with a supplemental document that otherwise meets those prescribed requirements. The bill would not apply to prescriptions issued by a veterinarian. The bill would require the board to promulgate regulations necessary to implement the bill. By imposing new requirements on dispensers, the violation of which would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.