STAND. COM. REP. NO.950

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: S.B. No. 257

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 257, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE RETURN OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to limit the return of prescription drugs to acute care hospitals.

Testimony in support of this measure with recommended amendments was received from the Board of Pharmacy. The Hawaii Pharmacists Association and Kaiser Permanente supported the intent of this measure with amendments.

Kaiser Permanente had some concerns regarding the effect on the current practice of the returning of prescription medications presently being used at acute care facilities throughout the State. It requested that amendments be made to the bill to accommodate the current practice used by acute care facilities to prevent rising costs and decrease in supply of prescription medication due to waste.

Your Committee realizes that increasing health care costs make it difficult for many people to receive adequate health care. The soaring cost of prescription drugs affects a large majority of the population. Moreover, much of this cost can be attributed to the issue of supply and demand with some medications being in high demand with low availability.

Moreover, your Committee understands that most drugs in hospitals can be safely reused due to effective safety and security measures at these facilities. This practice poses no danger to the general public and helps to control the cost of health care.

However, your Committee understands the concerns brought forth by the Board of Pharmacy and therefore has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying the current practice of acute care hospitals by deleting references to dispensed or redispensed prescription drugs;

(2) Allowing for the return of controlled substances to pharmacies in acute care hospitals; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 257, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 257, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair