Minnesota and Colorado Join Virginia in Passing Accessible Prescription Labeling Laws in 2024
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed omnibus bill HF5247 on May 24th. Tucked away in the 1494 page bill is a new law requiring pharmacies to provide accessible prescription labels to patients who have difficulty seeing or reading their prescription labels. Beginning in 2025 pharmacies must begin telling patients that accessible prescription labels are available, and if the pharmacy cannot provide them, they must refer them to a list of pharmacies that can. By 2026 all pharmacies will be required to be able to provide audible, large print or Braille prescription labels to their patients upon request. You can read the excerpt of the 1400+ page bill here: https://www.staysaferx.org/p/minnesota-bill-hf5247.html
Colorado's bill is on Governor Jared Polis's desk. This bill not only requires pharmacies to provide accessible prescription labeling options, but it also sets money aside to assist small independent pharmacies with grants of up to $1500 to help defray the cost of providing accessible labels. You can track and read the full text of the bill at https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1368
Virginia's accessible prescription labeling bill was passed back in April. The Board of Pharmacy has until December 31, 2024 to create rules to enforce the new law. You can read details of that bill https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?241+sum+HB516