Staff Report with Final Results: Texas State Board of Pharmacy Page: 2
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June 2017 Sunset Advisory Commission
umbrella agency can provide benefits, Sunset staff found transferring the board's functions provides no
benefits significant enough to justify such a major change. However, a contributing factor to the board's
success in meeting its mission within its current structure is the long-tenured, professional staff that has
guided the agency through its evolution over the last 20 years. Several high-ranking staff, including
the executive director, are about to retire, creating a management risk requiring a proactive succession
plan to guide the agency through coming leadership changes. Finally, Sunset staff also identified a few
elements of the board's practices that do not conform to common licensing and enforcement standards
and made related recommendations to ensure the continued fair and effective regulation of pharmaceutical
services in Texas.
The following material summarizes Sunset staff recommendations on the Texas State Board of Pharmacy.
Issues and Recommendations
Issue 1
Texas Lacks Key Tools Needed to Ensure Safe Dispensing of Dangerous, Highly
Addictive Drugs to Patients.
The abuse and misuse of highly addictive prescription medications, particularly painkillers such as
Vicodin and OxyContin, have reached epidemic levels across the country. Texas keeps track of the large
volume of these drugs, known as controlled substances, by collecting dispensing information from all
pharmacies in a database called the Prescription Monitoring Program. Reflecting a desire to improve the
system's usability and better use the information for public health purposes, the Legislature transferred
responsibility for the program from DPS to the board effective September 1, 2016.
Sunset staff evaluated the current status of the program operated by DPS and identified several national
best practices the board should implement as it transitions the program. States are increasingly using
these databases as key front-line tools to give healthcare practitioners information needed to protect the
public from the harm that can be caused by improper use of these drugs. Implementing the following
changes would improve the program's effectiveness and help ensure Texans receive only necessary
prescriptions that do not pose a threat to their safety. The recommendations below focus narrowly on
the board's authority over the program and the pharmacies it regulates, and pends evaluation of the
important role of prescribers to the upcoming Sunset review of the Texas Medical Board.
Key Recommendations
" Beginning in 2018, require pharmacists to search the Prescription Monitoring Program database
before dispensing certain controlled substances.
" Require pharmacists to enter dispensing information in the Prescription Monitoring Program
database within one business day of dispensing controlled substances.
" Authorize the board to send push notifications and to set related thresholds." Direct the board to create delegate accounts for pharmacy technicians, work to integrate the program
with pharmacy software systems, and make trend data on dispensing publicly available.
2 Texas State Board of Pharmacy Staff Report with Final Results
Summary of Sunset Staff Recommendations
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Ogle, Steven; Schiff, Tamara; Hartley, Cee & Teleki, Katharine. Staff Report with Final Results: Texas State Board of Pharmacy, report, June 2017; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1033475/m1/22/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.