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Prescription Drug Waste

SECTION 81.   Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 25I, as appearing in the 2008 Official Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 25I. The department, in conjunction with the board of registration in pharmacy and the division of medical assistance, shall establish and implement guidelines to reduce medication waste in facilities licensed by the department, the department of mental health and the department of corrections. The department shall establish such guidelines, based on its review, that are determined to be effective in reducing waste without imposing unreasonable costs on the health care delivery system. In establishing such guidelines the department may consider the following: (i) current technology, standards and reimbursement mechanisms for dispensing and distributing medications to facilities; (ii) requirements implemented in other states for limiting prescription drug waste and any cost-savings realized; (iii) the commonwealth's standards for the return and re-dispensing of patient-specific schedule VI prescription drugs; and (iv) possible incentive mechanisms to prevent prescription drug waste. The department shall promulgate regulations to implement this section.
 

Veto Explanation:
I am vetoing this section because the current statute provides for the return and redispensing of medications, the Department of Public Health has guidelines in place governing those processes, and the Department retains the authority to make further rules and regulations as necessary.