SENATOR ANWAR JOINS VOTE TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL MEDICATIONS, PROHIBIT SALE OF DEATH PENALTY DRUGS

Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) joined passage of a bill aimed at improving access to essential reproductive health medications. The legislation has several intents, including improving healthcare access, regulatory efficiency, and animal care, making the system work better for patients, providers, and the public.

Senate Bill 1355, ‘An Act Concerning Prescription Drugs, Devices And Nonlegend Drugs,’ make it easier for the state to get and safely prepare medications used for reproductive health, like the abortion pill. It will also remove some unnecessary rules for pharmaceutical reporting and allows trained veterinary staff to give out prescription meds under a vet’s supervision.

The bill also strengthens state control over manufacturing, sale and distribution of drugs used in administering the death penalty in other states. Sen. Anwar, along with State Representative Josh Elliott and State Senator Ceci Maher, have worked to implement these measures after the Hamden company Absolute Standards was alleged to produce drugs used in lethal injections taking place in other states despite Connecticut having banned the practice itself. This change seeks to align state statutes with state ethics.

“This is important legislation for the people of Connecticut to improve residents’ access to reproductive health, pharmaceutical sales, veterinary prescriptions and overdose prevention drugs,” said Sen. Anwar. “It also has a special tie for me as my colleagues and I have worked for more than a year to ensure improved state control and oversight over death penalty drugs, making sure our state does not, directly or indirectly, aid a practice our residents rejected in 2012.”

Regulatory Oversight:
Senate Bill 1355 will focus on regulating abortion drugs. Under this section of the bill, the Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP), in collaboration with the Commission of Pharmacy will be mandated to adopt regulations to ensure that nonsterile compounding pharmacies can engage in the preparation of drug products containing levonorgestrel, mifepristone, misoprostol, or similar components as active ingredients.

Pharmaceutical Regulations:
This section addresses the regulation of pharmaceutical manufacturers and their representatives in Connecticut. Just like in the previous law (Public Act 23-171), companies that hire sales reps must register every year with the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) as a marketing business, paying a registration fee (with extra fees for being late). These companies also have to provide DCP with an updated list of their sales reps whenever changes happen. However, the new law removes the old rule that required this list to be posted online for the public.

Veterinary Prescription Dispensing:
This bill will allow certain individuals working under the direct supervision of veterinarians to dispense prescription veterinary drugs. Licensed veterinarians in Connecticut have the authority to allow another person to dispense prescription veterinary drugs, but this can only happen if the veterinarian provides a written or oral order as part of their work, in line with all relevant laws, and for an animal under their care. Additionally, the veterinarian must supervise the person dispensing the medication. The Department of Public Health (DPH), the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP), and the Connecticut Board of Veterinary Medicine are also authorized to create regulations to carry out these provisions effectively.

Death Penalty:
These legislative previsions will strengthen control over the manufacturing, sale, and distribution of drugs related to the death penalty, ensuring these drugs are not dispensed or distributed improperly. It will also prohibit manufacturers and wholesalers from selling drugs for the death penalty with actual knowledge of their intended use, and clarifying that no individual or entity can legally obtain or use drugs for this purpose. The bill also introduces strict penalties for individuals, such as technicians, who knowingly dispense drugs intended for the death penalty, including a $1,000 civil penalty.

Naloxone:
Under this section of the bill, new measures to expand access to naloxone will be introduced. The new rules make it easier for people or organizations to provide naloxone to the public by removing the need for special permits. They can now give it out for free through secure lockboxes, as long as the boxes follow the required rules. The legislation also relaxes requirements for secure naloxone storage boxes, removing the need for temperature control, tamper resistance, or alarms that alert first responders.