Pharmacy Access Partnership

Jane Boggess, PhD - May 12, 2022

 

On April 25, 2022 Alaska became the third state to permit pharmacists to provide EC under collaborative protocol with a prescriber.

 

As with both California and Washington, pharmacist scope of practice in Alaska pertaining to EC has its own characteristics. Below is a summary of Alaska's new regulations pertaining to EC, with text in italics providing a comparison with California and Washington states.

 

§        Collaborative protocols may be with either a MD or Nurse practitioner.

 

Comment: Similar to Washington, but different from California where only MD's may enter into a collaborative protocol with a pharmacist.

 

§        Protocols must first be approved by the State Board of Pharmacy.

 

Comment: Similar to WA, but not CA where Board approval is not required.

 

§        Protocols are limited to two years, and then must be resubmitted to the State Board for renewal. 

 

Comment: Same as WA, but not CA where protocols have no specified time limit.

 

§        Regulations require pharmacists to have training on EC - Alaska's recommended pharmacy training program is the online EC program at www.aphanet.org

 

Comment: Similar training requirements exist for CA and WA, although both states, possibly because of their less rural nature, favor live programs.

 

§        Regulations require a plan for providing authorizing practitioner with EC patient information, and stipulate a quarterly review process. 

 

Comment: Similar to WA, which requires aggregate information to be sent quarterly to prescriber, but not CA where law is very general on issue of review and documentation.

 

§        Protocols may apply to whole community including individuals with no established relationship with a provider, although prescriber can establish limits.

 

Comment:  Theoretically, the same is true for both CA and WA, although to my knowledge, neither state has implemented restrictions on EC protocols.