Alaska Senate passes bill letting pharmacists treat minor illnesses without a doctor's call

The Alaska Senate passed a bill Wednesday that lets pharmacists treat patients for some common health problems. The vote was 15-5.

Right now, if a child has strep throat, the family must see a doctor first. The pharmacist cannot help until a doctor calls in permission. The new law changes that.

Sen. Cathy Giessel carried the bill. She told a story about a mother whose child was having an asthma attack. The family had run out of medicine for the breathing machine. The pharmacist had to stop and call a doctor before giving them more.

"This makes a difference in real people's lives," Giessel said.

What pharmacists could do

House Bill 195 allows pharmacists to do throat swabs for strep. They can do tests for bladder infections. They can give out medicine on the spot. They could also help people manage diabetes and quit tobacco.

The bill builds on a 2022 law. That law said pharmacists could practice at the top of their training. But it did not say what that meant. This bill spells it out.

Pharmacists in Alaska must have a doctorate degree.

Rural access and emergency response

Giessel pointed to the recent flooding in southwest Alaska. Pharmacists were already in Bethel and the surrounding villages when people evacuated. They could have treated minor illnesses if they had the authority.

"They were right there in the communities," she said.

A Washington State study found that treatment by a pharmacist costs $277 less per visit than seeing a doctor in a clinic.

What pharmacists cannot prescribe

The bill bans pharmacists from prescribing opioids. They also cannot prescribe any drug on the FDA's Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy list. But they can prescribe overdose reversal drugs like naloxone. This is especially helpful for patients taking benzodiazepines.

The bill came from the Board of Pharmacy, the Alaska Pharmacy Association, the Department of Law, the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, and the State Medical Association. The Senate adopted the effective date clause after passage.