Medical Waste Amendments

HB 555 (correctly titled "Facility-Provided Medication Amendments," not "Medical Waste Amendments") requires healthcare facilities (like hospitals, urgent care centers, and surgical facilities) to offer unused medication provided during a patient's treatment - such as topical antibiotics or eye drops - to the patient upon discharge if continued use is needed. The bill mandates that such medication be properly labeled per pharmacy law and requires prescribers to counsel patients on its use, while exempting these medications from standard pharmacist counseling rules. This affects patients receiving facility-provided medication and directly impacts healthcare facilities' procedures for handling unused treatments. The law takes effect on May 7, 2025.