Davis Signs Measure Requiring Pharmacies to Get New Licenses for Compounding
Facing the Oct. 14 deadline to sign bills passed in the most recent legislative session, Gov. Gray Davis (D) signed a measure (SB 293) that will require pharmacies that compound "sterile drug products" to get a special state license to do so, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Compounding is a process in which a pharmacist mixes powdered medications with liquid to put into vials for injection. Three people died and 13 people were hospitalized with meningitis last May after receiving tainted injections from a Walnut Creek pharmacy (Lucas, San Francisco Chronicle, 10/16). Davis cut a provision that would have allotted $580,000 to hire five new inspectors for the state Board of Pharmacy. According to the Contra Costa Times, Davis dropped the funding because he said it would take a year for the regulations to develop, and he would "consider" funds to hire new inspectors next year (LaMar, Contra Costa Times, 10/16).
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