The Virginia Board of Pharmacy will hold a HB2147 Workgroup Meeting on September 28, 2023 to discuss translation services in pharmacies.
HB 2147 directed the Board to evaluate challenges and barriers to requiring or providing translated directions for the use of prescriptions, including the possibility of model directions and necessary changes within pharmacies to ensure patients are aware of the language services available at the pharmacy
During HWI Subcommittee hearing, Delegate Guzman, sponsor of the bill explained the intent of the bill: "We want to ensure the residents of Virginia that speak a different language can have their prescription labels translated into a different language."
Guzman said she has been working closely with the pharmacy industry and Board of Pharmacy in crafting the bill. "As we see medicines that could have an impact that hurt peoples' lives, we want to make sure individuals understand the type of prescriptions that they have in the language they prefer" but they want to make sure smaller pharmacies are not negatively impacted.
The workgroup will explore all these issues and report back to the legislature with their findings.
Meeting Notice Posted: https://www.townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=37186