HB 195-PHARMACIST PRESCRIPTION AUTHORITY  3:49:27 PM CHAIR MINA announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 195, "An Act relating to the prescription and administration of drugs and devices by pharmacists; relating to reciprocity for pharmacists; and providing for an effective date." CHAIR MINA noted those available for questions. 3:50:18 PM CHAIR MINA opened public testimony on HB 195. 3:50:42 PM KARA GAGNON, Director of Pharmacy, North Star Behavioral Health, described her experience working in the behavioral health system in Anchorage, Alaska, emphasizing a lack of available providers and resources. She testified in support of HB 195, emphasizing that it would help meet the needs of Anchorage's community members. 3:52:19 PM AIMEE YOUNG, Pharm.D., Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service, testified in support of HB 195. She said that working for the Indian Health Service has allowed her to practice at the top of her abilities. She described her experience of providing vaccines and pain management treatments. She said that her medication-related expertise has made her skills highly valuable and emphasized that pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare providers out there. She urged the committee to support HB 195 to allow pharmacists to better serve their communities. 3:53:57 PM DAN HARTMAN, M.D., Medical Director, Southcentral Foundation, testified in support of HB 195. He said that HB 195 would allow pharmacists to practice at the scope and level of their training. He described the training and education that pharmacists are required to undergo. He emphasized the important roles that pharmacists play in administering healthcare at Southcentral Foundation. He said the HB 195 would increase access to care for patients and expand the healthcare workforce. He asked the committee to support HB 195. 3:56:26 PM STEVEN PEARCE, Director, Citizens Commission on Human Rights, expressed concern regarding the over-prescription of "mind- altering drugs" to patients experiencing mental health issues. He said that it is very easy to prescribe psychiatric drugs to kids and that HB 195 would make it easier for pharmacists to also administer these drugs. He said that psychiatric issues should be treated in other ways that medication and should be limited to psychiatrists and other mental health experts. 3:58:42 PM MR. PEARCE, in response to a question from Representative Prax, said that medical doctors defer too much to psychiatrists. He said that he would not advocate for medical doctors to prescribe psychiatric drugs when there are other treatments available for behavioral health issues. 4:00:30 PM PAM VENTGEN, Executive Director, Alaska State Medical Association, testified in opposition to HB 195. She said that HB 195 would allow pharmacists to practice medicine without a medical license. She said that pharmacists already have provisions for collaborative practice authority and HB 195 would eliminate the need for collaboration. She emphasized that pharmacists are currently over-worked in Alaska. 4:02:58 PM BRITTANY KARNS, Pharm.D., Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center, described her education and training in pharmacy. She said that every profession has a scope of practice. She said that she is asking for prescriptive authority within her scope of practice, as a pharmacist. She said that pharmacists are often asked for their advice on prescription dosages by medical doctors. She emphasized that providers are being over-worked and pharmacists could help fill the gaps in care that providers cannot. 4:05:27 PM ERIC HOLLAND, Student, Doctor of Pharmacy Program, University of Alaska Anchorage, testified in support of HB 195. He described his training in Idaho, where pharmacists enjoy full prescriptive authority. He said that HB 195 would modernize Alaska's laws, allowing pharmacists to treat illnesses within their scope of training and expertise. He emphasized that pharmacist students in his program want to stay in Alaska, but they also want to practice within their full scope of practice. He said that HB 195 would help keep pharmacists practicing in Alaska. 4:07:07 PM PAUL ZANTO, Pharmacy Manager, Fred Meyer, testified in support of HB 195. He described the services Fred Meyer stores provide to the communities they operate in and stated that HB 195 would help expand those services. He said Fred Meyer pharmacists would welcome this ability to further care for their patients. He described the extent of training that is required by pharmacists, preparing them for more prescriptive authority. He said that Fred Meyer strongly supports HB 195. 4:09:22 PM MARY KLIX, M.D., Board Member, Alaska State Medical Association, said that pharmacists do not attend medical school and are not trained as physicians. She described the extent and intensity required of physicians. She said that pharmacists do not have diagnostic training and giving them prescriptive authority could be dangerous. She said that pharmacists should engage in collaborative practice agreements if they want to test and treat patients. 4:11:45 PM KAREN MILLER, Pharm.D., Foundation Health Partners, described her experience working as a pharmacist in Fairbanks, Alaska. She emphasized the long wait times for patients looking to receive primary healthcare, forcing many into emergency departments. She said that under HB 195, pharmacists would be able to help prevent patients from seeking emergency room services. She urged the committee to support HB 195. 4:13:37 PM DR. KLIX, in response to questions from Representative Prax, said that there are many medications that both oncologists and family medicine doctors prescribe. She said that the knowledge to prescribe anti-cancer treatments requires an additional two to three years of training, but that training is not a licensed requirement. 4:15:33 PM CHAIR MINA, after ascertaining there was no one who wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 195. 4:16:12 PM REPRESENTATIVE GRAY thanked Chair Mina for sponsoring HB 195. He expressed strong support for HB 195. 4:17:32 PM REPRESENTATIVE PRAX said that he does not believe HB 195 would allow pharmacists to prescribe medication outside of their scope of practice 4:18:59 PM BRANDY SEIGNEMARTIN, Pharm.D., Executive Director, Alaska Pharmacy Association, at the invitation of Chair Mina to express concerns regarding scope of practice, stated that HB 195 would require pharmacists to either collaborate with or refer to another physician when faced with concerns outside of their scope of practice. She added that pharmacists often receive certifications to further their scope of practice in psychiatry, oncology, and other specialties. 4:21:09 PM BRITTANY KEENER, President, Alaska Pharmacy Association, said that pharmacists receive trainings in diagnostics and medication management, and they receive specific trainings based on the specialty areas they may practice within. 4:22:28 PM ASHLEY SCHABER, Pharm.D., Director, Alaska Board of Pharmacy, in response to a question from Representative Schwanke, said Idaho and Montana have similar provisions in place and neither has experienced safety issues related to pharmacists having prescriptive authorities. 4:23:20 PM REPRESENTATIVE GRAY provided an anecdote regarding a pharmacy student that studied medicine alongside him. He emphasized that pharmacists do have the training required for prescriptive authority. 4:24:36 PM REPRESENTATIVE MEARS moved to report HB 195 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HB 195 was reported out of the House Health and Social Services Standing Committee.