Senate File 160 - Introduced
SENATE FILE 160
BY SALMON, EVANS, J. TAYLOR,
ZAUN, GUTH, GREEN, ALONS,
DE WITT, ROWLEY, GARRETT,
SWEENEY, and WESTRICH
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to the prescribing and dispensing authority of
2 practitioners.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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 S.F. 160
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 147.164 Restriction of prescribing
2 authority by board or employer.
3 1. Any board created under this chapter that licenses a
4 prescribing practitioner and any employer of a prescribing
5 practitioner shall not restrict the prescribing authority of
6 a prescribing practitioner during a public health disaster in
7 a way that acts as a deterrent for a prescribing practitioner
8 to use a medication or treatment in accordance with the
9 prescribing practitioner’s best professional judgment.
10 2. Any restriction by an employer of a prescribing
11 practitioner that is prohibited under subsection 1, whether
12 or not documented by the employer as part of a contract,
13 agreement, or employee handbook, by an amendment to any such
14 document, or by any other means, is unenforceable and shall not
15 be the basis for any disciplinary action by the employer.
16 3. For purposes of this section:
17 a. “Prescribing practitioner” means the same as defined in
18 section 147.162.
19 b. “Public health disaster” means the same as defined in
20 section 135.140.
21 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 148.6A Prescribing of ivermectin or
22 hydroxychloroquine —— no licensee discipline.
23 The prescribing of ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine by a
24 physician for the treatment of COVID-19 shall not constitute
25 grounds for licensee discipline. For the purposes of this
26 section, “COVID-19” means the same as defined in section 686D.2.
27 EXPLANATION
28 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
29 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
30 This bill relates to prescribing and dispensing authority
31 by practitioners.
32 The bill prohibits any health-related professional board
33 under Code chapter 147 (general provisions, health-related
34 professions) that licenses a prescribing practitioner and any
35 employer of a prescribing practitioner from restricting the
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 S.F. 160
1 prescribing authority of a prescribing practitioner during a
2 public health disaster in a way that acts as a deterrent for
3 the practitioner to use a medication or treatment in accordance
4 with the practitioner’s best professional judgment.
5 The bill also provides that any restriction by an employer
6 of a prescribing practitioner that is prohibited under the
7 bill, whether or not documented by the employer as part of
8 a contract, agreement, or employee handbook, by an amendment
9 to any such document, or by any other means, is unenforceable
10 and shall not be the basis for any disciplinary action by the
11 employer. The bill defines “prescribing practitioner” and
12 “public health disaster” for the purposes of the bill.
13 The bill also provides that the prescribing of ivermectin or
14 hydroxychloroquine by a physician for the treatment of COVID-19
15 shall not be grounds for licensee discipline.
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