A much-fought-over bill to allow doctors to dispense cancer-treatment drugs — without oversight by pharmacists — was advanced Friday by the Utah Senate.
It voted 21-8 to pass SB161 by Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, and sent it to the House.
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Bramble said it would allow cancer patients to avoid extra trips to drug stores to obtain drugs when they are ill, susceptible to infections or under the influence of medications that make it unsafe to drive. He said Utah is the only state that has not allowed oncologists to dispense high-powered cancer drugs directly.
He said changes were made to the bill to win support of most doctor and pharmacist groups — although hospital pharmacists still oppose it, even on the bill’s fifth rewrite.
Sen. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, said some doctors also contacted her to say they are still divided on the bill. She expressed concern that the proposed system may not have enough record-keeping to ensure drugs are accounted for and dispensed safely, and that it could be a step toward allowing doctors to offer other drugs without pharmacists.
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