In addition to other powers provided by law, the board shall have the following powers and duties, which shall be exercised in conformity with chapter 28-32 in order to protect the public health, welfare, and safety:

Terms Used In North Dakota Code 43-15-10

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute means the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Person: means an individual, organization, government, political subdivision, or government agency or instrumentality. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • written: include "typewriting" and "typewritten" and "printing" and "printed" except in the case of signatures and when the words are used by way of contrast to typewriting and printing. See North Dakota Code 1-01-37

1.    To place on probation, reprimand, or fine any pharmacy, pharmacist, or pharmacy intern or pharmacy technician; or refuse to issue or renew, or suspend, revoke, restrict, or cancel, the license, permit, or registration of any pharmacy, pharmacist, or     pharmacy intern or pharmacy technician, if any of the following grounds apply and the pharmacy, pharmacist, or pharmacy intern or pharmacy technician:

a.    Is addicted to any alcohol or drug habit.

b.    Uses any advertising statements of a character tending to deceive or mislead the public.

c.    Is subject to drug or alcohol dependency or abuse.

d.    Permits or engages in the unauthorized sale of narcotic drugs or controlled substances.

e.    Permits or engages an unauthorized person to practice pharmacy.

f.    Is mentally or physically incompetent to handle pharmaceutical duties.

g.    Is guilty of fraud, deception, or misrepresentation in passing the pharmacist examination.

h.    Is found by the board in violation of any of the provisions of the laws regulating drugs, pharmacies, and pharmacists or interns and technicians or the rules and regulations established by the board.

i.    Is found to have engaged in unprofessional conduct as that term is defined by the rules of the board.

j.    Is subject to incapacity of a nature that prevents a pharmacist from engaging in the practice of pharmacy with reasonable skill, competence, and safety to the public.

k.    Is found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction of one or more of the following: (1) A felony, as defined by the statutes of North Dakota.

(2) Any act involving moral turpitude or gross immorality.

(3) Violations of the pharmacy or the drug laws of North Dakota or rules and regulations pertaining thereto, or of statutes, rules or regulations of any other state, or of the federal government.

l.    Commits fraud or intentional misrepresentation in securing the issuance or renewal of a license or pharmacy permit.

m.    Sells, dispenses, or compounds any drug while on duty and while under the influence of alcohol or while under the influence of a controlled substance without a practitioner’s prescription.

n.    Discloses confidential information to any person, except as authorized by law.

2.    To prescribe rules and regulations not inconsistent with this chapter governing the cancellation or suspension of a license.

3.    To examine and license as pharmacist any applicant found entitled to such license.

4.    To prescribe rules and regulations for the guidance of its members, officers, and employees, and to ensure the proper and orderly dispatch of its business.

5.    To employ and pay such persons as it may deem necessary to inspect pharmacies in this state, investigate pharmacies for the information of the board, procure evidence in any proceeding pending before the board, or procure evidence in aid of any prosecution or action in any court commenced or about to be commenced by or against the board in relation to any matter in which the board has any duty to perform.

6.    To employ and pay counsel to advise the board or to prosecute or defend any action or proceeding commenced by or against the board or pending before it.

7.    To grant permits and renewals thereof for the establishment and operation of pharmacies.

8.    Only for good cause to cancel, revoke, or suspend permits and renewals thereof for the establishment and operation of pharmacies.

9.    To prescribe reasonable and nondiscriminatory rules and regulations in regard to granting, renewing, canceling, revoking, or suspending permits and renewals for establishing and operating pharmacies.

10.    Action by the board canceling, revoking, suspending, or refusing to renew a permit to establish or operate a pharmacy shall not be enforced for thirty days after notice has been given an aggrieved party by the board, nor during the time that an appeal by such aggrieved party is pending and until such appeal is finally determined.

    11.    To prescribe reasonable rules and regulations relating to the physical design of space occupied by a pharmacy to ensure appropriate control of and safeguards over the contents of such pharmacy.

12.    To regulate and control the practice of pharmacy in North Dakota.

13.    To adopt, amend, and repeal rules for the regulation of pharmacies and pharmacists providing radiopharmaceutical services, including special training, education, and experience for pharmacists and physical design of space, safeguards, and equipment for pharmacies.

14.    To adopt, amend, and repeal rules determined necessary by the board for the proper administration and enforcement of this chapter, chapter 19-02.1 as that chapter pertains to drugs, subject to approval of the commissioner of the department of health and human services or designee, and chapter 19-03.1.

15.    The board or its authorized representatives may investigate and gather evidence concerning alleged violations of the provisions of chapter 43-15, chapter 19-02.1 that pertains to drugs, chapters 19-03.1, 19-03.2, and 19-04, or of the rules of the board.

Board investigative files are confidential and may not be considered public records or open records for purposes of section 44-04-18, until a complaint is filed or a decision made by the board not to file a complaint.

16.    In addition to other remedies, the board may apply to the district court in the jurisdiction of an alleged violation, and that court has jurisdiction upon hearing and for cause shown, to grant a temporary or permanent injunction restraining any person from violating any provision of chapter 43-15, chapter 19-02.1 pertaining to drugs, and chapter 19-03.1, whether or not there exists an adequate remedy at law. Whenever a duly authorized representative of the board finds or has probable cause to believe that any drug or device is adulterated, misbranded, mislabeled, or improperly identified, within the meaning of chapter 19-02.1, the representative shall affix to that drug or device a tag or other appropriate marking giving notice that the article is or is suspected of being adulterated, misbranded, mislabeled, or improperly identified, has been detained or embargoed and warning all persons not to remove or dispose of such article by sale or otherwise until provision for removal or disposal is given by the board or its agents or the court. No person may remove or dispose of such embargoed drug or device by sale or otherwise without the permission of the board or its agent, or, after summary proceedings have been instituted, without permission from the court.

17.    When a drug or device detained or embargoed has been declared by such representative to be adulterated, misbranded, mislabeled, or improperly identified, the board shall, as soon as practical thereafter, petition the district court in whose jurisdiction the article is detained or embargoed for an order for condemnation of such article. If the judge determines that the drug or device so detained or embargoed is not adulterated, misbranded, mislabeled, or improperly identified, the board shall direct the immediate removal of the tag or other marking. If the court finds the detained or embargoed drug or device is adulterated, misbranded, mislabeled, or improperly identified, such drug or device, after entry of the decree, shall be destroyed at the expense of the owner under the supervision of a board representative and all court costs and fees, storage, and other proper expense shall be borne by the owner of such drug or device. When the adulteration, misbranding, mislabeling, or improper identification can be corrected by proper labeling or processing of the drug or device, the court, after entry of the decree and after such costs, fees, and expenses have been paid and a good and sufficient bond has been posted, may direct that such drug or device be delivered to the owner for labeling or processing under the supervision of a board representative. Expense of supervision shall be paid by the owner. Bond posted shall be returned to the owner of the drug or device on representation to the court by the board that the drug or device is no longer in violation of the embargo and the expense of supervision has been paid. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the board to report violations whenever the board believes the public’s interest will be adequately served in the circumstances by a suitable written notice or warning.

    18.    The board shall establish a bill of rights for patients concerning the health care services a patient may expect in regard to pharmaceutical care.

19.    To adopt, amend, and repeal rules as may be deemed necessary by the board to register pharmacy technicians pursuant to qualifications established by the board, to charge a pharmacy technician an annual registration fee not to exceed fifty dollars, to specify tasks associated with and included in the practice of pharmacy which may be delegated by a licensed pharmacist to a registered pharmacy technician, to provide for suspension or revocation of a pharmacy technician’s registration, and to regulate and control pharmacy technicians. The board may allocate up to fifty percent of the amount of the registration fee to an appropriate pharmacy technician association for its general operating expenses, including pharmacy technician education and development standards.

20.    To require the self-reporting by an applicant or a licensee of any information the board determines may indicate possible deficiencies in practice, performance, fitness, or qualifications.

21.    To require information regarding an applicant’s or licensee’s fitness, qualifications, and previous professional record and performance from recognized data sources, including the national association of boards of pharmacy data bank, other data repositories, licensing and disciplinary authorities of other jurisdictions, professional education and training institutions, liability insurers, health care institutions, and law enforcement agencies be reported to the board. The board may require an applicant for licensure or a licensee who is the subject of a disciplinary investigation to submit to a statewide and nationwide criminal history record check. The nationwide criminal history record check must be conducted in the manner provided by section 12-60-24. All costs associated with obtaining a background check are the responsibility of the licensee or applicant.

22.    To adopt, amend, and repeal rules as may be deemed necessary by the board to register veterinary dispensing technicians pursuant to qualifications established by the board, to charge a veterinary dispensing technician an annual registration fee not to exceed fifty dollars, to provide for suspension or revocation of a veterinary dispensing technician’s registration, to provide for suspension or revocation of a veterinary retail facility’s license, to regulate and control veterinary retail facilities, and to regulate and control veterinary dispensing technicians.

23.    To establish limited prescriptive authority for individuals to distribute opioid antagonist kits, also known as “Naloxone rescue kits”. If the board establishes limited prescriptive authority under this subsection, the board shall adopt rules to establish standards that may include training, certification, and continuing education requirements.

24.    To establish limited prescriptive authority through a statewide protocol for public health issues within the scope of practice for a pharmacist. The board shall adopt rules to establish standards of care.