In lieu of dispensing two or more prescribed drug products in
separate containers, a pharmacist may, with the consent of the patient, the
patient's caregiver, or a prescriber, provide a customized patient medication
package (patient med pak). A patient med pak is a package prepared by a
pharmacist for a specific patient comprising a series of containers and
containing two or more prescribed solid oral dosage forms. The patient med pak
is so designed for each container is so labeled as to indicate the day and
time, or period of time, that the contents within each container are to be
taken:
(1) Label:
(a) The patient med pak shall bear a label
stating:
(A) The name of the
patient;
(B) A serial number for
each patient med pak itself and a separate identifying serial number for each
of the prescription orders for each of the drug products contained
therein;
(C) The name, strength,
physical description or identification, and total quantity of each drug product
contained therein;
(D) The
directions for use and cautionary statements, if any, contained in the
prescription order for each drug product therein;
(E) Any storage instructions or cautionary
statements required by the official compedia;
(F) The name of the prescriber of each drug
product;
(G) The date of
preparation of the patient med pak and the beyond-use date assigned to the
patient med pak (such beyond-use date shall be no later than 60 days from the
date of preparation);
(H) The name,
address, and telephone number of the dispenser and the dispenser's registration
number where necessary; and
(I) Any
other information, statements, or warnings required for any of the drug
products contained therein.
(b) If the patient med pak allows for the
removal or separation of the intact containers therefrom, each individual
container shall bear a label identifying each of the drug products contained
therein.
(2) Labeling:
The patient med pak shall be accompanied by a patient package insert, in the
event that any medication therein is required to be dispensed with such insert
as accompanying labeling. Alternatively, such required information may be
incorporated into a single, overall educational insert provided by the
pharmacist for the total patient med pak.
(3) Packaging:
(a) In the absence of more stringent
packaging requirements for any of the drug products contained therein, each
container of the patient med pak shall comply with the moisture permeation
requirements for a Class B single-unit or unit-dose container. Each container
shall be either not reclosable or so designed as to show evidence of having
been opened;
(b) There is no
special exemption for patient med paks from the requirements of the Poison
Prevention Packaging Act. Thus the patient med pak, if it does not meet
child-resistant standards shall be placed in an outer package that does comply,
or the necessary consent of the purchaser or physician, to dispense in a
container not intended to be child-resistant, shall be obtained.
(4) Guidelines: It is the
responsibility of the dispenser, when preparing a patient med pak, to take into
account any applicable compendia requirements or guidelines and the physical
and chemical compatibility of the dosage forms placed within each container, as
well as any therapeutic incompatibilities that may attend the simultaneous
administration of the medications. In this regard, pharmacists are encouraged
to report to USP headquarters any observed or report
incompatibilities.
(5)
Recordkeeping: In addition to any individual prescription filing requirements,
a record of each patient med pak shall be made and filed. Each record shall
contain, as a minimum:
(a) The name and
address of the patient;
(b) The
serial number of the prescription order for each drug product contained
therein;
(c) The name of the
manufacturer or labeler and lot number for each drug product contained
therein;
(d) Information
identifying or describing the design, characteristics, or specifications of the
patient med pak sufficient to allow subsequent preparation of an identical
patient med pak for the patient;
(e) The date of preparation of the patient
med pak and the beyond-use date that was assigned;
(f) Any special labeling instructions;
and
(g) The name or initials of the
pharmacist who prepared the patient med pak.
(6) Upon written request, the Board may waive
any of the requirements of this rule if a waiver will further public health or
safety or the health and safety of a patient. A waiver granted under this
section shall only be effective when it is issued by the Board in
writing.