*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:
Missouri HB2750 Accessible Prescription Labeling Introduced
Illinois HB5505 Accessible Prescription Labeling Introduced
Colorado HB24-1115 Accessible Prescription Labeling Introduced
California AB1902 Accessible Prescription Labeling Introduced
Ohio HB382 Insurance Coverage of Prescription Readers Introduced
Iowa SF2022 Accessible Prescription Labeling Introduced
Virginia HB516 Accessible Prescription Labeling Law Passed. Rule making not yet begun.
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. Rule making not yet begun.
Hawaii HB218 & SB609 Audible Prescription Labeling Passed. Rule making not yet begun.
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
Minnesota HF2430 and SF2266 Introduced Accessible Labeling
Missouri HB812, HB685, HB80 Introduced.
2022:
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 labeling. Rule making in Progress
Tennessee
SB1859 & HB1999 – Accessible Prescription Labels Act Passed with Amendment. Regulations become effective 3-14-2024
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 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.
Indiana HB1627
introduced to require Braille or recorded audio device for prescription
labels. Engrossed. 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