(a) An automated drug delivery system, as defined in subdivision (h), may be located in a correctional clinic licensed by the board under this article. If an automated drug delivery system is located in a correctional clinic, the correctional clinic shall implement the statewide Correctional Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee’s policies and procedures and the California Correctional Health Care Services Health Care Department Operations Manual to ensure safety, accuracy, accountability, security, patient confidentiality, and maintenance of the quality, potency, and purity of drugs. All policies and procedures shall be maintained either in electronic form or paper form at the location where the automated drug system is being used.

(b) Drugs shall be removed from the automated drug delivery system upon authorization by a pharmacist after the pharmacist has reviewed the prescription and the patient profile for potential contraindications and adverse drug reactions. Where administration of the drug is necessary before a pharmacist has reviewed the prescription, and if, in the prescriber’s professional judgment, delay in therapy may cause patient harm, a medication may be removed from the automated drug delivery system and administered or furnished to a patient under the direction of the prescriber. Where the drug is otherwise unavailable, a medication may be removed and administered or furnished to the patient pursuant to an approved protocol as identified within the California Correctional Health Care Services Health Care Department Operations Manual. Any removal of medication from an automated drug delivery system shall be documented and provided to the correctional pharmacy when it reopens.

(c) Drugs removed from the automated drug delivery system shall be provided to the patient by a health professional licensed pursuant to this division who is lawfully authorized to perform that task.

(d) The stocking of an automated drug delivery system shall be performed by either:

(1) A pharmacist.

(2) An intern pharmacist or pharmacy technician, acting under the supervision of a pharmacist.

(e) Review of the drugs contained within, and the operation and maintenance of, the automated drug delivery system shall be the responsibility of the correctional clinic. The review shall be conducted on a monthly basis by a pharmacist and shall include a physical inspection of the drugs in the automated drug delivery system, an inspection of the automated drug delivery system machine for cleanliness, and a review of all transaction records in order to verify the security and accountability of the system.

(f) The automated drug delivery system shall be operated by a licensed correctional pharmacy. Any drugs within an automated drug delivery system are considered owned by the licensed correctional pharmacy until they are dispensed from the automated drug delivery system.

(g) Drugs from the automated drug delivery system in a correctional clinic shall only be removed by a person authorized to stock the automated drug delivery system, or by a person lawfully authorized to administer or dispense the drugs.

(h) For purposes of this section, an “automated drug delivery system” means a mechanical system controlled remotely by a pharmacist that performs operations or activities, other than compounding or administration, relative to the storage, dispensing, or distribution of prepackaged dangerous drugs or dangerous devices. An automated drug delivery system shall collect, control, and maintain all transaction information to accurately track the movement of drugs into and out of the system for security, accuracy, and accountability.

(Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 29, Sec. 3. (SB 118) Effective August 6, 2020.)