Signed by Governor Tony Evers

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes pharmacy technicians and students to administer COVID-19 vaccines under certain conditions.

Highlights:

• Specifies that a person who has completed his or her second year in, and is enrolled at, an accredited school of pharmacy and whose practice of pharmacy is limited to performing duties under the direct supervision of a person licensed as a pharmacist by the board and administering vaccines or drugs (Sec. 1).

• Establishes that a person who has applied for a license whose practice of pharmacy is limited to performing duties under the direct supervision of a person licensed as a pharmacist by the board and administering vaccines or drugs during the period before which the board takes final action on the person’s application (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that any person who is providing services, including administering vaccines or drugs, as directed, supervised, and inspected by a pharmacist who has the power to direct, decide, and oversee the implementation of the services rendered, subject to any rules promulgated by the board (Sec. 3).

• Establishes that a person engaged in the practice of pharmacy may not administer a vaccine unless he or she acts under the direct supervision of a health care provider authorized to administer vaccines and he or she has completed 12 hours in a course of study and training, approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education or the board, in vaccination storage, protocols, administration technique, emergency procedures, and record-keeping (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that if the supervising health care provider is a pharmacist, a person engaged in the practice of pharmacy may not administer a vaccine unless the supervising pharmacist has completed a course of study and training specified in this law (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that a person engaged in the practice of pharmacy may not administer a vaccine to a person who is under the age of 6 (Sec. 4).

• Establishes that a person engaged in the practice of pharmacy may not administer a vaccine unless all of the following are satisfied (Sec. 5):

• The person has completed at least 2 hours in a course of study and training, approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education or the board, in hands−on injection technique and the recognition and treatment of emergency reactions to vaccines;

• The person acts under the direct supervision of a pharmacist and the supervising pharmacist has completed a course of study and training and has satisfied the requirements;

• The person holds a current certification in basic life support or cardiopulmonary resuscitation;

• The person holds a certified pharmacy technician certification from either the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, or its successor organization, or the National Healthcareer Association, or its successor organization; and

• Specifies that a person engaged in the practice of pharmacy may not administer a vaccine under this subsection to a person who is under the age of 6.

• Establishes that a pharmacist or a person engaged in the practice of pharmacy may administer without a prescription order any vaccine listed in the current immunization schedules recommended by the federal advisory committee on immunization practices and published by the federal centers for disease control and prevention (Sec. 6).

• Establishes that a pharmacist or a person engaged in the practice of pharmacy may initiate and administer any vaccine not listed in the current immunization schedules recommended by the federal advisory committee on immunization practices and published by the federal centers for disease control and prevention if the vaccine is administered according to a prescription order, vaccination protocol, or standing order (Sec. 7).

• Specifies that a person authorized to administer a vaccine under this law may administer by injection epinephrine and diphenhydramine to a person experiencing an adverse reaction to a vaccine (Sec. 7).

• Specifies that a pharmacist may not delegate to any person any administration of a prescribed drug product or device or vaccine (Sec. 8).

• Establishes that a pharmacist may not administer a vaccine or supervise a person administering a vaccine unless the pharmacist satisfies each of the following (Sec. 9):

• The pharmacist has in effect liability insurance that covers the pharmacist and a person who administers a vaccine against loss, expense, and liability resulting from errors, omissions, or neglect in the administration of vaccines in an amount that is not less than $1,000,000 for each occurrence and $2,000,000 for all occurrences in any one policy year (Sec. 10);

• A pharmacist or a person engaged in the practice of pharmacy who completes a course of study and training or holds a certification will maintain proof of completion or holding the certification and, upon request, provide copies of such proof to the department or the board (Sec. 11); and

• A pharmacist or person engaged in the practice of pharmacy who administers a vaccine to a person under this law is to update, or cause a pharmacy to update, the Wisconsin Immunization Registry established by the Department of Health Services within 7 days of administering the vaccine (Sec. 12).

Full Bill Text