SB1085 is a bill that amends Arizona Revised Statutes by adding section 32-1979.04, which expands the scope of practice for pharmacists. Under the new legislation, pharmacists are allowed to independently order, perform, and interpret tests authorized by the FDA and waived under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA). They can also independently initiate therapy for eligible persons who are at least six years old and test positive for influenza, group A streptococcus pharyngitis, a respiratory illness, or a condition related to a public health threat identified by the Department of Health Services.

The bill outlines that pharmacists must use evidence-based clinical guidelines or the statewide written protocol in providing treatment. It also sets criteria for patient treatment, including inclusion and exclusion criteria and explicit medical referral criteria. Pharmacists are required to refer patients to their primary care providers if they are not eligible for treatment or do not respond to the initial treatment. Additionally, pharmacists must notify the patient's primary care provider within 72 hours of initiating treatment and maintain records of testing or screening results for seven years. The bill allows pharmacists to delegate the task of performing a test to licensed pharmacy staff under their supervision but prohibits them from delegating tasks that include clinical judgment. It also specifies that pharmacists cannot independently order tests or treat minors without parental consent. The bill removes the authority of pharmacists to independently test for and treat COVID-19 and makes other adjustments to the delegation of tasks and maintenance of records.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 32-1979.04
Senate Engrossed Version: 32-1979.04