SB 162-HYDROCODONE PRESCRIPTION BY OPTOMETRISTS  3:08:56 PM CHAIR HIGGINS announced that the first order of business would be SENATE BILL NO. 162, "An Act authorizing a licensed optometrist to prescribe a pharmaceutical agent containing hydrocodone." 3:09:41 PM DAVID SCOTT, Staff, Senator Donald Olson, Alaska State Legislature, stated that SB 162 did not change the practice or scope of optometry; it only made a specific exception to allow optometrists to continue prescriptions for hydrocodone in the same manner as they were currently. He explained that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) was possibly going to propose a change of listing for hydrocodone from Schedule III to Schedule II, which would no longer allow optometrists in Alaska to prescribe this medication. CHAIR HIGGINS reflected that the extent of education for optometry allowed for prescriptive rights. He pointed out that [abuse of] hydrocodone was an issue in the country, and he opined that the health care community was carefully reviewing the issue to better understand and alleviate the abuse. He declared that no specific health care group was the problem for the abuse. He noted that the optometrists had the pharmacology training to prescribe hydrocodone, and the Board of Pharmacology was recommending continuance for the prescription capability. He reported that an FDA change of the drug schedule would leave it to the individual states to determine restriction policies. He summarized that the proposed bill allowed for a four day regimen which limited the abuse factor. He relayed that several states had unrestricted rights, whereas Alaska was more restrictive. He offered his recommendation to allow a continuance for prescription of hydrocodone. REPRESENTATIVE SEATON reported that there had not been any cases of [hydrocodone] abuse by optometrists in the last five years. 3:14:45 PM REPRESENTATIVE KELLER moved to report SB 162, Version 28- LS1390\A, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, SB 162 was moved from the House Health and Social Services Standing Committee.