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On Stay Safe Rx you will find current events and resources advocating for safe prescription labeling practices. When patients struggle to see, read or understand their prescription labels they are more likely to take the wrong medication, take it improperly, or not take it at all. Pharmacies can make prescription labels more accessible by incorporating dual-language, audible, large print, Braille, plain language, and user-friendly designs. Check out the resources in the side bar to assist your own advocacy efforts or browse through posts to see what others are working on or have achieved.

Accessible Prescription Label Laws Timeline

 *Note:  Bills with strike through mean they were not passed but were included in history for reference.  Bills or rule-making in red italic are still in process.

2024:

California AB1902 Accessible Prescription Labeling Passed

Colorado HB24-1115 Accessible Prescription Labeling Passed

Virginia HB516 Accessible Prescription Labeling Law Passed. 

Minnesota Omnibus SB4699/HF4571 Accessible Prescription Labeling Law Passed

Ohio HB382 Insurance Coverage of Prescription Readers Introduced

Iowa SF2022 Accessible Prescription Labeling Introduced

Missouri HB2750 Accessible Prescription Labeling Introduced

Illinois HB5505 Accessible Prescription Labeling Introduced 

2023:

Ohio Board of Pharmacy Rule 4229:5-2-05 Creating a directory of pharmacy accessibility for hearing impaired and vision impaired and translation services

Puerto Rico PS1190 - Insurance Accessible Labeling Disbursement Fee Reimbursement

Maryland HB 456 & SB 0940 Accessible Prescription Labeling Passed.

Hawaii HB218 & SB609 Audible Prescription Labeling Passed

Virginia HB2147 (2023) Directs the Board of Pharmacy to convene a work group to evaluate the provision of translation of directions for use of prescriptions.

Florida Board of Pharmacy Regulations  64B16—28.108 Pharmacies must include their plan to accommodate blind and visually impaired in their policy and procedure manual

Missouri HB812, HB685, HB80 Introduced.

Minnesota SF2266/HF2430  (merged into 2024 Omnibus bill)

2022:

Tennessee SB1859 & HB1999 – Accessible Prescription Labels Act Passed with Amendment.  Regulations become effective 3-14-2024

Washington HB1852 & SB5340 – Dual Language Bill with Accessible Labels for the Blind amendment. Introduced.  Passed Senate. Even without passage the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission is drafting regulations for accessible and translated prescription labelingRule making in Progress

Ohio HB 448 Audible Labeling and Insurance Coverage bill introduced, 1st hearing.

Missouri HB 2783 and HB 2834 Accessible Prescription Labels Acts Introduced

2021:

Maine LD172 – Study/survey of pharmacies and report back to legislature. 

Puerto Rico PS0287 – Audible Prescription Labeling Law Signed by Governor Jan 2023.

Pennsylvania HB 89 Accessible Prescription Labeling law introduced.

Massachusetts S658 & S1420 – Audible Labeling Study Order and Voice Synthesizer Insurance Coverage

2020:

Minnesota SF 3152 and HF3370 requiring pharmacists to dispense a prescription using an

audible container label or braille container label. In Committees.


2019:

Oregon HB 2935 and BOP Rule Requires pharmacies to notify and provide patients with audible prescription labels  Enacted Into Law.

Pennsylvania HB 125 require pharmacies to make accessible prescription drug container labels available to individuals who are deaf blind and visually-impaired when requested. No further action.

Massachusetts S1252 legislation relative to accessible prescription labeling. No further action.

Ohio HB 214 shall notify the person purchasing the drug that a prescription reader can be made available. If that person requests a prescription reader,the terminal distributor shall provide a prescription reader forat least the duration of the prescription. In Health Committee


2018:

 

Ohio HB 659 Engrossed. No further action.

2017: 

Nevada SB 131 Requires pharmacies to tell customers that audible prescription reader is available. Enacted into Law

2016:

Affordable Care Act Section 1557  Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities final rule issued.  § 92.202 Effective communication for individuals with disabilities.  A covered entity must provide auxiliary aids and services to individuals with disabilities free of charge and in a timely manner when necessary to ensure an equal opportunity to participate and benefit from the entity’s health programs or activities.

Government Accountability Office reports:  Actions Needed to Increase Awareness of Best Practices for Accessible Labels for Individuals Who are Blind or Visually Impaired”  http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-17-115

2012

 Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act

  • February 2012: HR 4087 sponsor, Congressman Edward J. Markey D-Mass

  • June 26, 2012: Senate passes S3187  Sponsor, Senator Tom Harken, D-IA

  • July 9, 2012: Signed by President Barack Obama

  • January 2015: Senator Markey requests feedback from major pharmacies on their progress of implementing “Best Practices

  • December 9, 2016  Government Accountability Office reports:  Actions Needed to Increase Awareness of Best Practices for Accessible Labels for Individuals Who are Blind or Visually Impaired”  http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-17-115

  • July 10, 2013: United States Access Board releases “Best Practices

  • National Council of Disability creates brochure. Full education campaign unfunded so not completed.

Indiana House Bill 1301 introduced bill to provide tax credit for pharmacies piloting incorporation of assistive technologies into packaging of prescriptions for blind or visually impaired.  No further action.

2010:

Indiana HB1240  introduced various insurance matters including language for accessible prescription drug labeling.  House Engrossed. No further action.

ADA Amendments provided detailed and clarified instructions on how public accommodations—specifically citing pharmacies—must provide auxiliary aids and services to blind or low-vision customers in order to provide effective communication. The new language goes on specifically to list large-print materials, Braille materials, and accessible electronic and information technology as recommended solutions.
 
2009:

Indiana HB1627 introduced to require Braille or recorded audio device for prescription labels.  Engrossed.  No further action.

Massachusetts Senate Bill 445 introduced An Act Relative to Coverage for Prescription Drug Voice Synthesizers. No further action.

2004: 

Veterans Administration Announced the Standardization of Audible Prescription Reading Devices with ScripTalk as the standard.

2003: 

Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003. This Act required the DHHS to study how to make prescription pharmaceutical information, including drug labels and usage instructions, accessible for the blind and low vision. The DHHS formulated study questions and the AFB responded with information about the blind population, access to prescription information, and existing and emerging technologies.  They made some recommendations that the National Eye Health Education Program conduct an education program and publish materials letting patients and pharmacies know about assistive technologies and modalities for accessing prescription drug information. The NEHEP director, Neyal Ammary-Risch says that they never performed this work due to budget cuts and because the AFB published some really good information to their website and worked with the Pharmaceutical industry to create standards regarding labels (this occurred in 2012).

1990:  

Americans with Disabilities Act signed into law

1977:  

Section 504 regulations were issued. It is these regulations which form the basis of the ADA

1973:  

Rehabilitation Act banned discrimination on the basis of disability by recipients of federal funds