§ 12-101. Definitions

   (a) In general. -- In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.

(b) Authorized prescriber. -- "Authorized prescriber" means any licensed dentist, licensed physician, licensed podiatrist, licensed veterinarian, certified nurse midwife to the extent permitted in § 8-601 of this article, certified nurse practitioner to the extent permitted in § 8-508 of this article, or other individual authorized by law to prescribe prescription or nonprescription drugs or devices.

(c) Board. -- "Board" means the State Board of Pharmacy.

(d) Compounding. --

   (1) "Compounding" means the preparation, mixing, assembling, packaging, or labeling of a drug or device:

      (i) As the result of a practitioner's prescription drug order or initiative based on the practitioner/patient/pharmacist relationship in the course of professional practice; or

      (ii) For the purpose of, or incident to, research, teaching, or chemical analysis and not for the sale or dispensing of the drug or device.

   (2) "Compounding" includes the preparation of drugs or devices in anticipation of a prescription drug order based on routine, regularly observed prescribing patterns.

(e) Delegated pharmacy act. --

   (1) "Delegated pharmacy act" means an activity that constitutes the practice of pharmacy delegated by a licensed pharmacist under this title and regulations adopted by the Board.

   (2) "Delegated pharmacy act" does not include:

      (i) An act within the parameters of a therapy management contract as provided under Subtitle 6A of this title;

      (ii) The administration of an influenza vaccination in accordance with § 12-508 of this title;

      (iii) The delegation of a pharmacy act by a registered pharmacy technician, pharmacy student, or pharmacy technician trainee;

      (iv) A pharmacy activity performed by a pharmacy student in accordance with § 12-301(b) of this title;

      (v) A pharmacy activity performed by an applicant for a license to practice pharmacy in accordance with regulations adopted by the Board; or

      (vi) The performance of other functions prohibited in regulations adopted by the Board.

(f) Device. --

   (1) "Device" means a device used in the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of disease.

   (2) "Device" does not include any:

      (i) Surgical or dental instrument;

      (ii) Physical therapy equipment;

      (iii) X-ray apparatus; or

      (iv) Component part or accessory of any of these items.

(g) Direct supervision. -- "Direct supervision" means that a licensed pharmacist is physically available on-site to supervise the performance of delegated pharmacy acts.

(h) Dispense or dispensing. -- "Dispense" or "dispensing" means the procedure which results in the receipt of a prescription or nonprescription drug or device by a patient or the patient's agent and which entails the:

   (1) Interpretation of an authorized prescriber's prescription for a drug or device;

   (2) Selection and labeling of the drug or device prescribed pursuant to that prescription; and

   (3) Measuring and packaging of the prescribed drug or device in accordance with State and federal laws.

(i) Distribute. --

   (1) "Distribute" means the process resulting in the provision of a prescription or nonprescription drug or device to a separate, intervening individual, licensed and practicing under this article, prior to administration of the provided drug or device to the patient pursuant to a prescription issued by an authorized prescriber.

   (2) "Distribute" does not include the operations of a person who holds a permit issued under § 12-6C-03 of this title.

(j) License. -- "License" means, unless the context requires otherwise, a license issued to a pharmacist by the Board to practice pharmacy.

(k) Licensed pharmacist. -- "Licensed pharmacist" means, unless the context requires otherwise, a pharmacist who is licensed by the Board to practice pharmacy.

(l) Nonprescription drug. -- "Nonprescription drug" means a drug which may be sold without a prescription and which is labeled for use by the consumer in accordance with the requirements of the laws and regulations of this State and the federal government.

(m) Nonresident pharmacy. -- "Nonresident pharmacy" means a pharmacy located outside this State that, in the normal course of business, as determined by the Board, ships, mails, or delivers drugs or devices to a person in this State pursuant to a prescription.

(n) Pharmaceutical care. -- "Pharmaceutical care" means the provision of a patient's drug regimen for the purpose of achieving definite outcomes related to the cure or prevention of a disease, elimination or reduction of a patient's symptoms, or arresting or slowing of a disease process by identifying, resolving, or preventing actual or potential drug therapy problems and which may include patient counseling and providing information to licensed and certified health care providers.

(o) Pharmacist. -- "Pharmacist" means an individual who practices pharmacy regardless of the location where the activities of practice are performed.

(p) Pharmacy. -- "Pharmacy" means an establishment in which prescription or nonprescription drugs or devices are compounded, dispensed, or distributed.

(q) Pharmacy permit. -- "Pharmacy permit" means a permit issued by the Board to establish and operate a pharmacy.

(r) Pharmacy student. -- "Pharmacy student" means an individual who is enrolled as a student in a school or college of pharmacy approved by the Board or accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.

(s) Pharmacy technician trainee. -- "Pharmacy technician trainee" means an individual engaged in a Board approved pharmacy technician training program.

(t) Practice pharmacy. --

   (1) "Practice pharmacy" means to engage in any of the following activities:

      (i) Providing pharmaceutical care;

      (ii) Compounding, dispensing, or distributing prescription drugs or devices;

      (iii) Compounding or dispensing nonprescription drugs or devices;

      (iv) Monitoring prescriptions for prescription and nonprescription drugs or devices;

      (v) Providing information, explanation, or recommendations to patients and health care practitioners about the safe and effective use of prescription or nonprescription drugs or devices;

      (vi) Identifying and appraising problems concerning the use or monitoring of therapy with drugs or devices;

      (vii) Acting within the parameters of a therapy management contract, as provided under Subtitle 6A of this title;

      (viii) Administering an influenza vaccination, a vaccination for pneumococcal pneumonia or herpes zoster, or any vaccination that has been determined by the Board, with the agreement of the Board of Physicians and the Board of Nursing, to be in the best health interests of the community in accordance with § 12-508 of this title;

      (ix) Delegating a pharmacy act to a registered pharmacy technician, pharmacy student, or an individual engaged in a Board approved pharmacy technician training program;

      (x) Supervising a delegated pharmacy act performed by a registered pharmacy technician, pharmacy student, or an individual engaged in a Board approved pharmacy technician training program; or

      (xi) Providing drug therapy management in accordance with § 19-713.6 of the Health - General Article.

   (2) "Practice pharmacy" does not include the operations of a person who holds a permit issued under § 12-6C-03 of this title.

(u) Registered pharmacy technician. -- "Registered pharmacy technician" means an individual who is registered with the Board to perform delegated pharmacy acts.

(v) Registration. -- "Registration" means, unless the context requires otherwise, a registration issued by the Board to perform delegated pharmacy acts under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist.

(w) Supervision. -- "Supervision" means reviewing the work, guiding and directing the activities, and monitoring the performance of an individual.

HISTORY: An. Code 1957, art. 43, § 250; 1981, ch. 8, § 2; ch. 182; 1990, ch. 6, § 11; chs. 283, 352; 1991, ch. 55, § 1; 1997, ch. 614; 2000, ch. 61, § 7; 2002, ch. 157, § 2; ch. 249; 2004, ch. 339, § 1; 2006, ch. 523, § 1; 2009, ch. 60, § 1, 5; ch. 304; chs. 314, 315; 2010, ch. 72.