§ 32-1904 — Powers and duties of board; immunity

A. The board shall:

1. Make bylaws and adopt rules that are necessary to protect the public and that pertain to the practice of pharmacy, the manufacturing, wholesaling or supplying of drugs, devices, poisons or hazardous substances, the use of pharmacy technicians and support personnel and the lawful performance of its duties.

2. Fix standards and requirements to register and reregister pharmacies, except as otherwise specified.

3. Investigate compliance as to the quality, label and labeling of all drugs, devices, poisons or hazardous substances and take action necessary to prevent the sale of these if they do not conform to the standards prescribed in this chapter, the official compendium or the federal act.

4. Enforce its rules. In so doing, the board or its agents have free access, during the hours reported with the board or the posted hours at the facility, to any pharmacy, manufacturer, wholesaler, third-party logistics provider, nonprescription drug permittee or other establishment in which drugs, devices, poisons or hazardous substances are manufactured, processed, packed or held, or to enter any vehicle being used to transport or hold such drugs, devices, poisons or hazardous substances for the purpose of:

(a) Inspecting the establishment or vehicle to determine whether any provisions of this chapter or the federal act are being violated.

(b) Securing samples or specimens of any drug, device, poison or hazardous substance after paying or offering to pay for the sample.

(c) Detaining or embargoing a drug, device, poison or hazardous substance in accordance with section 32-1994.

5. Examine and license as pharmacists and pharmacy interns all qualified applicants as provided by this chapter.

6. Require each applicant for an initial license to apply for a fingerprint clearance card pursuant to section 41-1758.03. If an applicant is issued a valid fingerprint clearance card, the applicant shall submit the valid fingerprint clearance card to the board with the completed application. If an applicant applies for a fingerprint clearance card and is denied, the applicant may request that the board consider the application for licensure notwithstanding the absence of a valid fingerprint clearance card. The board, in its discretion, may approve an application for licensure despite the denial of a valid fingerprint clearance card if the board determines that the applicant's criminal history information on which the denial was based does not alone disqualify the applicant from licensure.

7. Issue duplicates of lost or destroyed permits on the payment of a fee as prescribed by the board.

8. Adopt rules to rehabilitate pharmacists and pharmacy interns as provided by this chapter.

9. At least once every three months, notify pharmacies regulated pursuant to this chapter of any modifications on prescription writing privileges of podiatrists, dentists, doctors of medicine, registered nurse practitioners, osteopathic physicians, veterinarians, physician assistants, optometrists and homeopathic physicians of which it receives notification from the state board of podiatry examiners, state board of dental examiners, Arizona medical board, Arizona state board of nursing, Arizona board of osteopathic examiners in medicine and surgery, Arizona state veterinary medical examining board, Arizona regulatory board of physician assistants, state board of optometry or board of homeopathic and integrated medicine examiners.

10. Charge a permittee a fee, as determined by the board, for an inspection if the permittee requests the inspection.

11. Issue only one active or open license per individual.

12. Allow a licensee to regress to a lower level license on written explanation and review by the board for discussion, determination and possible action.

13. Open an investigation only if the identifying information regarding a complainant is provided or the information provided is sufficient to conduct an investigation.

14. Provide notice to an applicant, licensee or permittee using only the information provided to the board through the board's licensing database.

B. The board may:

1. Employ chemists, compliance officers, clerical help and other employees subject to title 41, chapter 4, article 4 and provide laboratory facilities for the proper conduct of its business.

2. Provide, by educating and informing the licensees and the public, assistance in curtailing abuse in the use of drugs, devices, poisons and hazardous substances.

3. Approve or reject the manner of storage and security of drugs, devices, poisons and hazardous substances.

4. Accept monies and services to assist in enforcing this chapter from other than licensees:

(a) For performing inspections and other board functions.

(b) For the cost of copies of the pharmacy and controlled substances laws, the annual report of the board and other information from the board.

5. Adopt rules for professional conduct appropriate to the establishment and maintenance of a high standard of integrity and dignity in the profession of pharmacy.

6. Grant permission to deviate from a state requirement for modernization of pharmacy practice, experimentation or technological advances.

7. Adopt rules for the training and practice of pharmacy interns, pharmacy technicians and support personnel.

8. Investigate alleged violations of this chapter, conduct hearings in respect to violations, subpoena witnesses and take such action as it deems necessary to revoke or suspend a license or a permit, place a licensee or permittee on probation or warn a licensee or permittee under this chapter or to bring notice of violations to the county attorney of the county in which a violation took place or to the attorney general.

9. By rule, approve colleges or schools of pharmacy.

10. By rule, approve programs of practical experience, clinical programs, internship training programs, programs of remedial academic work and preliminary equivalency examinations as provided by this chapter.

11. Assist in the continuing education of pharmacists and pharmacy interns.

12. Issue inactive status licenses as provided by this chapter.

13. Accept monies and services from the federal government or others for educational, research or other purposes pertaining to the enforcement of this chapter.

14. By rule, except from the application of all or any part of this chapter any material, compound, mixture or preparation containing any stimulant or depressant substance included in section 13-3401, paragraph 6, subdivision (c) or (d) from the definition of dangerous drug if the material, compound, mixture or preparation contains one or more active medicinal ingredients not having a stimulant or depressant effect on the central nervous system, provided that such admixtures are included in such combinations, quantity, proportion or concentration as to vitiate the potential for abuse of the substances that do have a stimulant or depressant effect on the central nervous system.

15. Adopt rules for the revocation, suspension or reinstatement of licenses or permits or the probation of licensees or permittees as provided by this chapter.

16. Issue a certificate of free sale to any person that is licensed by the board as a manufacturer for the purpose of manufacturing or distributing food supplements or dietary supplements as defined in rule by the board and that wants to sell food supplements or dietary supplements domestically or internationally. The application shall contain all of the following:

(a) The applicant's name, address, email address, telephone and fax number.

(b) The product's full, common or usual name.

(c) A copy of the label for each product listed. If the product is to be exported in bulk and a label is not available, the applicant shall include a certificate of composition.

(d) The country of export, if applicable.

(e) The number of certificates of free sale requested.

17. Establish an inspection process to issue certificates of free sale or good manufacturing practice certifications. The board shall establish in rule:

(a) A fee to issue certificates of free sale.

(b) A fee to issue good manufacturing practice certifications.

(c) An annual inspection fee.

18. Delegate to the executive director the authority to:

(a) If the president or vice president of the board concurs after reviewing the case, enter into an interim consent agreement with a licensee or permittee if there is evidence that a restriction against the license or permit is needed to mitigate danger to the public health and safety. The board may subsequently formally adopt the interim consent agreement with any modifications the board deems necessary.

(b) Take no action or dismiss a complaint that has insufficient evidence that a violation of statute or rule governing the practice of pharmacy occurred.

(c) Request an applicant or licensee to provide court documents and police reports if the applicant or licensee has been charged with or convicted of a criminal offense. The executive director may do either of the following if the applicant or licensee fails to provide the requested documents to the board within thirty business days after the request:

(i) Close the application, deem the application fee forfeited and not consider a new application complete unless the requested documents are submitted with the application.

(ii) Notify the licensee of an opportunity for a hearing in accordance with section 41-1061 to consider suspension of the licensee.

(d) Pursuant to section 36-2604, subsection B, review prescription information collected pursuant to title 36, chapter 28, article 1.

C. At each regularly scheduled board meeting, the executive director shall provide to the board a list of the executive director's actions taken pursuant to subsection B, paragraph 18, subdivisions (a), (c) and (d) of this section since the last board meeting.

D. The board may issue nondisciplinary civil penalties or delegate to the executive director the authority to issue nondisciplinary civil penalties. The nondisciplinary civil penalties shall be prescribed by the board in rule and issued using a board-approved form. If a licensee or permittee fails to pay a nondisciplinary civil penalty that the board has imposed on it, the board shall hold a hearing on the matter. In addition to any other nondisciplinary civil penalty adopted by the board, either of the following acts or omissions that is not an imminent threat to the public health and safety is subject to a nondisciplinary civil penalty:

1. An occurrence of either of the following:

(a) Failing to submit a remodel application before remodeling a permitted facility.

(b) Failing to notify the board of the relocation of a business.

2. The occurrence of any of the following violations or any of the violations adopted by the board in rule, with three or more violations being presented to the board as a complaint:

(a) The licensee or permittee fails to update the licensee's or permittee's online profile within ten days after a change in contact information, address, telephone number or email address.

(b) The licensee fails to update the licensee's online profile within ten days after a change in employment.

(c) The licensee fails to complete the required continuing education for a license renewal.

(d) The licensee fails to update the licensee's online profile to reflect a new pharmacist in charge within fourteen days after the position change.

(e) The permittee fails to update the permittee's online profile to reflect a new designated representative within ten days after the position change.

(f) The licensee or permittee fails to notify the board of a new criminal charge, arrest or conviction against the licensee or permittee in this state or any other jurisdiction.

(g) The licensee or permittee fails to notify the board of a disciplinary action taken against the licensee or permittee by another regulating agency in this state or any other jurisdiction.

(h) A licensee or permittee fails to renew a license or permit within sixty days after the license or permit expires. If more than sixty days have lapsed after the expiration of a license or permit, the licensee or permittee shall appear before the board.

(i) A new pharmacist in charge fails to conduct a controlled substance inventory within ten days after starting the position.

(j) A person fails to obtain a permit before shipping into this state anything that requires a permit pursuant to this chapter.

(k) Any other violations of statute or rule that the board or the board's designee deems appropriate for a nondisciplinary civil penalty.

E. The board shall develop substantive policy statements pursuant to section 41-1091 for each specific licensing and regulatory authority the board delegates to the executive director.

F. The executive director and other personnel or agents of the board are not subject to civil liability for any act done or proceeding undertaken or performed in good faith and in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter.