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HB0119 • 2023

Medical prescriptions-off label purposes.

AN ACT relating to professions and occupations; authorizing prescribers to prescribe medications for off label indication as specified; authorizing pharmacists to dispense medications for off label indication as specified; providing prescribers and pharmacists immunity from disciplinary action as specified; providing definitions; and providing for an effective date.

Healthcare
Inactive

Wyoming marks this bill as inactive, which usually means it is no longer moving in the current session.

Sponsor
Representative Penn
Last action
2023-02-24
Official status
inactive
Effective date
3/1/2023

Plain English Breakdown

The bill was marked inactive, which means it did not pass during the current session and its status is uncertain for future sessions.

Medical Prescriptions for Off-Label Uses

The bill allows certain medical professionals to prescribe medications for uses not listed on the FDA label and protects them from disciplinary action if they have patient consent.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows prescribers (doctors, dentists, optometrists, etc.) to write prescriptions for drugs used in ways not approved by the FDA if patients give informed consent.
  • Permits pharmacists to fill such off-label prescriptions within their scope of practice.
  • Protects prescribers and pharmacists from disciplinary action related to these off-label prescriptions as long as they have patient consent.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Doctors, dentists, optometrists, and other medical professionals who prescribe medications.
  • Pharmacists who fill prescriptions for off-label uses.
  • Patients receiving off-label medication prescriptions.

Terms To Know

Off-Label Indication
Using a prescription drug in ways not approved by the FDA, but still medically appropriate and agreed upon with patients.
Informed Consent
A patient's agreement to receive treatment after being fully informed about its nature, risks, benefits, and alternatives.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not apply to certain controlled substances listed as Schedule I or II under federal law.
  • It only protects prescribers and pharmacists from disciplinary action if they have patient consent for off-label prescriptions.
  • The bill was marked inactive in Wyoming, meaning it did not pass during the current session.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB0119H2001

2nd reading • Representative Penn

Withdrawn

Plain English: The amendment adds optometrists to the list of professionals who can prescribe medications for off-label purposes in Wyoming.

  • Adds optometrists as a type of prescriber allowed under the bill.
  • It is unclear what specific conditions or limitations this amendment places on optometrists' ability to prescribe medications.
HB0119H2002

2nd reading • Representative Penn

Withdrawn

Plain English: The amendment removes the requirement for prescriptions and dispensing of medications for off-label purposes to be in writing.

  • Removes the phrase ', in writing,' from the bill where it applies to prescribing and dispensing medications for off-label use.
  • The amendment does not provide details on how prescriptions will now be handled if they are no longer required to be in writing, which could leave some uncertainties about the practical implementation of this change.
HB0119H3001

3rd reading • Representative Penn

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds optometrists to a list of professionals who can prescribe medications for off-label purposes in Wyoming.

  • Adds optometrists as prescribers allowed to write prescriptions for off-label uses.
  • It is unclear what specific conditions or limitations are placed on optometrists when prescribing off-label medications.
HB0119H3002

3rd reading • Representative Penn

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes the requirement for prescriptions and dispensing of medications for off-label purposes to be in writing.

  • Removes the phrase ', in writing,' from the bill, allowing prescriptions and dispensing instructions for off-label medication use to not necessarily be written.
  • The amendment does not specify how prescribers and pharmacists will communicate about off-label medication use if it is no longer required to be in writing.
HB0119H3003

3rd reading • Representative Yin

Failed

Plain English: The amendment changes a phrase in the bill to provide broader protection for prescribers and pharmacists.

  • Removes specific mention of 'health-related licensing boards' when discussing immunity from disciplinary action, replacing it with a more general term.
  • The exact scope of the change in protections is unclear without additional context about what 'an' refers to in this case.
HB0119H3004

3rd reading • Representative Brown

Withdrawn

Plain English: The amendment removes a specific line from the bill that relates to medical prescriptions for off-label purposes.

  • Removes a particular sentence or phrase from page 1, line 10 of HB0199.
  • The exact content and implications of the removed text are not provided in the amendment details.
HB0119HS001

Standing Committee • House Labor, Health and Social Services Committee

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes certain sections of HB019 to require prescribers to obtain written informed consent from patients for off-label medication use and adds conditions under which pharmacists can dispense such medications.

  • Removes the phrase 'specified;' in line 8 of page 1.
  • Inserts 'within the scope of practice' after 'indication' on line 16 of page 3.
  • Adds a requirement for prescribers to obtain written informed consent from patients acknowledging off-label use before prescribing medications, as specified in lines 15-18 and 20-21 of pages 4 and 5 respectively.
  • The amendment text does not fully explain all the implications or details of these changes, such as how exactly informed consent will be obtained or what constitutes 'within the scope of practice'.

Bill History

  1. 2023-02-24 Senate

    S:Died in Committee Returned Bill Pursuant to SR 5-4

  2. 2023-02-24 Senate

    S No report prior to CoW Cutoff

  3. 2023-02-13 Senate

    S10 - Labor:Do Pass Failed 2-3-0-0-0

  4. 2023-02-03 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S10 - Labor

  5. 2023-02-02 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  6. 2023-02-02 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 44-18-0-0-0

  7. 2023-02-01 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  8. 2023-01-31 House

    H COW:Passed

  9. 2023-01-30 House

    H Placed on General File

  10. 2023-01-30 House

    H10 - Labor:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 6-3-0-0-0

  11. 2023-01-16 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H10 - Labor

  12. 2023-01-12 House

    H Received for Introduction

  13. 2023-01-12 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
23LSO-0445
2023
STATE OF WYOMING
23LSO-0445
ENGROSSED
3.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0119

Medical prescriptions-off label purposes.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Penn, Angelos, Bear, Davis, Haroldson, Hornok, Jennings, Neiman, Ottman, Smith and Ward and Senator(s) Brennan and Salazar

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to professions and occupations; authorizing prescribers to prescribe medications for off label indication as specified; authorizing pharmacists to dispense medications for off label indication as specified; providing prescribers and pharmacists immunity from disciplinary action as specified; providing definitions; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 33
‑
1
‑
401 through 33
‑
1
‑
403 are created to read:

ARTICLE 4
PRESCRIBING AND DISPENSING DRUGS FOR OFF LABEL INDICATION

33
‑
1
‑
401.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this article:

(i)

"Disciplinary action" means any action taken by a health related licensing board against a licensee, including but not limited to revocation, limitation, suspension or denial of a license or any other disciplinary action taken by a health related licensing board against a licensee;

(ii)

"Off label indication" means the prescribing of prescription drugs for treatments other than those stated in the labeling approved by the United States food and drug administration;

(iii)

"Pharmacist" means any person licensed by the board of pharmacy under title 33, chapter 24 of the Wyoming statutes to practice pharmacy as specified in W.S. 33
‑
24
‑
124;

(iv)

"Prescriber" means a physician or a physician assistant licensed under title 33, chapter 26 of the Wyoming statutes, a dentist licensed under title 33, chapter 15 of the Wyoming statutes, an optometrist licensed under title 33, chapter 23 of the Wyoming statutes or an advanced practice registered nurse licensed under title 33, chapter 21 of the Wyoming statutes.

33
‑
1
‑
402.

Prescribing drugs for off label indication; exception.

(a)

Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a prescriber may lawfully prescribe a United States food and drug administration approved prescription drug for off label indication and a pharmacist is authorized to dispense a prescribed drug for off label indication within the scope of practice pursuant to a valid prescription order.

(b)

This section shall not apply to prescriptions for substances that are listed as schedule I or schedule II controlled substances under federal law or the Wyoming Controlled Substances Act of 1971, W.S. 35
‑
7
‑
1001 through 35
‑
7
‑
1063.

33
‑
1
‑
403.

Professional conduct.

(a)

Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a prescriber or pharmacist shall not face any adverse action from a health related licensing board or employer, including disciplinary action, loss of employment, hospital privileges or credentials, solely on the basis that a prescriber prescribed a United States food and drug administration approved prescription drug for off label indication or a pharmacist dispensed a prescription drug prescribed for off label indication pursuant to a valid prescription order pursuant to this article. Any action taken by a prescriber or pharmacist authorized under this article shall not be considered unprofessional conduct if the prescriber has obtained the informed consent of the patient specifically acknowledging the off label indication and use.

(b)

Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, any recommendation, prescription, use or opinion of a prescriber or pharmacist related to medical treatment for COVID
‑
19 as defined by W.S. 1
‑
1
‑
141(a)(ii), including medical treatment that is not regulated by a health related licensing board, the department of health, a professional association or the United States food and drug administration, shall not be considered unprofessional conduct provided the prescriber has obtained the informed consent of the patient specifically acknowledging the off label indication and use.

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2023
.

(END)

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HB0119