South Carolina General Assembly
121st Session, 2015-2016

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Bill 5193


Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter


(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 44-130-30, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO PRESCRIPTIONS AND STANDING ORDERS FOR OPIOID ANTIDOTES, SO AS TO AUTHORIZE THE PRESCRIPTION AND DISPENSING OF OPIOID ANTIDOTES PURSUANT TO A NONPATIENT-SPECIFIC STANDING ORDER IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Section 44-130-30 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 54 of 2015, is amended to read:

"Section 44-130-30.    (A)    A prescriber acting in good faith and exercising reasonable care as a prescriber may issue a written prescription for an opioid antidote to:

(1)    a person who is at risk of experiencing an opioid-related overdose; or

(2)    a caregiver for a person who is at risk of experiencing an opioid overdose whom the prescriber has not personally examined.     (B)(1)    The prescriber must provide to the person or the caregiver overdose information addressing the following:

(a)    opioid overdose prevention and recognition;

(b)    opioid antidote dosage and administration;

(c)    the importance of calling 911 emergency telephone service for medical assistance with an opioid overdose; and

(d)    care for an overdose victim after administration of the opioid antidote.

(2)    The prescriber must document in the medical record that the opioid overdose information required by this subsection has been provided to the person or the caregiver.

(C)    A prescriber acting in good faith and exercising reasonable care may issue a standing order for a first responder to possess an opioid antidote for administration to a person whom the first responder believes to be experiencing an opioid-related overdose.     (D)(1)    A prescriber acting in good faith and exercising reasonable care may issue a nonpatient-specific standing order and dispensing protocols for an opioid antidote for persons at risk of experiencing an opioid-related overdose or for the caregivers of such persons.

(2)    When prescribing in this manner, the dispensing protocols will specify that the dispenser will provide the person or caregiver the opioid overdose information set forth in subsection (B)(1).

(3)    When prescribing in this manner, subsection (B)(2) is not applicable.

(E)    A prescriber who issues a written prescription or a standing order for an opioid antidote in accordance with the provisions of this section is not as a result of an act or omission subject to civil or criminal liability or to professional disciplinary action."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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