Board of Pharmacy public meetings in 2022

Board of Pharmacy

The Louisiana Board of Pharmacy will review and decide on applications for marijuana pharmacy permits under Solicitation 2 for LDH Region 1. The meeting spans two days, with hearings scheduled for each applicant. The board may also enter executive session for confidential discussions.

• Consideration of marijuana pharmacy permit applications for 14 entities in LDH Region 1
• Applicants include Bee's Apothecary and Wellness (New Orleans), Carr Botanicals (Belle Chasse), Crescent City Therapeutics (Kenner), and others
• Public comment opportunity at the start of the meeting
• Board may vote to enter executive session for personnel, litigation, or security discussions

Board of Pharmacy

The Louisiana Board of Pharmacy will consider a proposed budget amendment for FY 2022-2023 and a proposed budget for FY 2023-2024. The board will also discuss regulatory proposals on prescriptions, temporary pharmacy closures, pharmacy benefit managers, and healthcare workplace violence prevention. Additionally, the board will consider multiple voluntary consent agreements in enforcement cases against pharmacists and pharmacies.

• Consideration of Proposed Budget Amendment No. 2 for Fiscal Year 2022-2023
• Consideration of Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2023-2024
• Consideration of Regulatory Proposal 2022-N ~ Pharmacy Benefit Managers (Draft #1)
• Consideration of Proposed Voluntary Consent Agreements in cases including Walgreen Pharmacy #15109 and #09526
• Consideration of Proposed Revision of PPM.II.B.5.e ~ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The Board approved the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget and a budget amendment for 2022-2023. Members adopted several regulatory proposals regarding prescriptions, pharmacy closures, and workplace violence prevention. The Board also issued multiple disciplinary actions, including license revocations and fines.

• Approved Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 (Unanimous)
• Adopted Proposed Budget Amendment No. 2 for Fiscal Year 2022-2023 (Unanimous)
• Approved Regulatory Proposals 2021-C, 2022-L, 2022-N, and 2022-P (Unanimous)
• Delayed enforcement of USP <795> and <797> until November 1, 2024 (Unanimous)
• Approved $112,000 contract cap for Tyler Technologies eLicense system (Unanimous)
• Revoked credential of Kristian Johnee Herrion for theft of controlled substances (Unanimous)
• Revoked permit of MedRx Specialty Pharmacy, LLC (Unanimous)
• Approved PMP reporting waivers for 23 pharmacies (Unanimous)

Board of Pharmacy

The Louisiana Board of Pharmacy will consider proposed voluntary consent agreements for multiple pharmacies and pharmacists, including Wal-Mart, Walgreens, and CVS, for alleged violations. The board will also review a proposed budget amendment for fiscal year 2022-2023 and receive a quarterly report on the Prescription Monitoring Program. Public comment is allowed.

• Consideration of proposed voluntary consent agreements for violations (e.g., Wal-Mart Pharmacy #10-0541, Walgreen Pharmacy #11196, CVS #5326)
• Consideration of proposed budget amendment No. 1 for fiscal year 2022-2023
• Quarterly report of Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP)
• Consideration of requests for waivers from PMP reporting requirement
• Consideration of draft minutes from May 11, 2022

The Board approved the Final Report for Fiscal Year 2021-2022 and adopted Budget Amendment No. 1 for Fiscal Year 2022-2023. The Board also processed numerous disciplinary actions, including fines, permit revocations, and license reinstatements. Additionally, the Board approved a new ADA compliance policy and a form for visiting qualifying patients at marijuana pharmacies.

• Approved Final Report for Fiscal Year 2021-2022 (unanimous)
• Adopted Proposed Budget Amendment No. 1 for Fiscal Year 2022-2023 (unanimous)
• Revoked permit for Wellness Pharmacy, LLC (unanimous)
• Assessed $50,000 fine for Louisiana CVS Pharmacy #5326 (unanimous)
• Assessed $25,000 fine for Ochsner Pharmacy and Wellness-Primary Care and Wellness (unanimous)
• Approved 'Visiting Qualifying Patient Form' for marijuana pharmacies (unanimous)
• Approved new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance policy (unanimous)
• Authorized PMP reporting waivers for 24 pharmacies (unanimous)

Board of Pharmacy

The Louisiana Board of Pharmacy will meet to consider disciplinary consent agreements for multiple pharmacies and individuals, including Walgreens and CVS locations. The board will also review regulatory proposals on partial fills of controlled substances and compounding, and consider an interagency agreement with the Louisiana Department of Justice for occupational licensing review. Additionally, the board will vote on renewing contracts for legal, accounting, and IT services.

• Consideration of proposed voluntary consent agreements for Walgreen Louisiana Co. (New Orleans and West Monroe), CVS Pharmacy (Bossier City, Shreveport, Marksville), and several individuals
• Regulatory Proposal 2022-C on partial fills of controlled substance prescriptions (Draft #4)
• Regulatory Proposal 2022-J on compounding (Draft #1)
• Proposed interagency agreement with La. Dept. of Justice for Occupational Licensing Review Program for FY 2022-2023
• Annual renewal of contracts including professional legal services, accounting, PMP, IT, and website hosting

The Board approved regulatory changes requiring pharmacies to accommodate partial fills of controlled substance prescriptions. The Board also ratified several professional service contracts and appointed Joseph Fontenot as the new Executive Director.

• Approved Regulatory Proposal 2022-C requiring pharmacies to honor partial fill requests for controlled substances
• Approved Regulatory Proposal 2022-J to remove specific 2014 USP-NF references from compounding rules
• Appointed Joseph Fontenot as Executive Director and appointing authority
• Approved $90,000 interagency agreement with La. Dept. of Justice for Occupational Licensing Review
• Approved $50,000 contract for legal services with Shows, Cali & Walsh, LLP
• Approved $100,000 contract for legal services with Celia R. Cangelosi
• Fined Louisiana CVS Pharmacy No. 5306 $75,000 and No. 5326 $50,000
• Revoked registrations for Tiffany Shantell Vaughn and Chime Roseizina Dozier

Board of Pharmacy

The Louisiana Board of Pharmacy is holding a special meeting to hear a presentation on the Occupational Licensing Review Program from the state Department of Justice and to discuss potential litigation regarding pharmacy benefit managers, which will be held in executive session. The remainder of the agenda consists of routine procedural items.

• Occupational Licensing Review Program presentation by Assistant Attorneys General Emily Andrews and Joe Donahue
• Potential litigation relative to pharmacy benefit managers (executive session)

The Board received a presentation on the Louisiana Department of Justice Occupational Licensing Review Program. Members entered an executive session to discuss potential litigation regarding pharmacy benefit managers, though no decisions were made during that session.

• Approved motion to enter executive session to review potential litigation (unanimous)

Board of Pharmacy

The Louisiana Board of Pharmacy will meet to consider multiple legislative and regulatory proposals for 2022, including updates to controlled dangerous substance scheduling, collaborative practice, statewide protocols, pharmacy benefit managers, and marijuana pharmacies. The board will also review numerous proposed voluntary consent agreements in violation cases involving pharmacies and individuals, and consider revisions to various policies and procedures.

• Consideration of Legislative Proposal 2022-A (CDS Schedule Update) through 2022-H (Immunizations)
• Consideration of Regulatory Proposal 2022-A (Marijuana Pharmacies) and 2022-B (Nonresident Pharmacies)
• Proposed voluntary consent agreements in 13 violation cases involving CVS Pharmacy locations in Leesville, Shreveport, Minden, Chalmette, Destrehan, and West Monroe
• Consideration of request for rescission of previous board order and refund of assessment in Case No. 12-0285 (Sterling Pharmacy, Ruston)
• Consideration of proposed new PPM.I.A.36 on laboratory testing by pharmacies

The Board approved several legislative proposals for the 2022 session, including updates to controlled substance schedules and immunization age thresholds. It also adopted new regulatory rules for marijuana pharmacies and pharmacy operations. Additionally, the Board issued various fines and disciplinary actions against pharmacies and technicians.

• Approved Legislative Proposal 2022-H to lower immunization age threshold to 3 years (unanimous)
• Approved Regulatory Proposal 2022-A regarding marijuana pharmacy practice limitations (unanimous)
• Approved Legislative Proposal 2022-D requiring Pharmacy Benefit Managers to obtain permits (unanimous)
• Fined multiple CVS Pharmacy locations ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 (unanimous)
• Revoked registrations of Melinda Gail Roberts and Alexis Rochelle Verdin (unanimous)
• Approved new policy PPM.I.A.36 for laboratory testing in pharmacies (unanimous)
• Authorized Joseph Fontenot to execute financial transactions for the Board (unanimous)
• Granted PMP reporting waivers to 8 pharmacies (unanimous)