Unit 1 Chapter 2: Pharmacy Law Regulations, and Standards

accreditation

the status achieved by meeting the quality standards and requirements designated by the accrediting organization

adulterated product

a product that differs in drug strength, quality, and purity from the original

Affordable Care Act (ACA)

mandated healthcare coverage under threat of personal penalties for all US citizens by 2014

anabolic steroids

synthetic, performance enhancing drugs that mimic the human hormone testosterone; because of abuse by athletes, this drug has been reclassified by the DEA as a controlled substance

bioequivalence

similar strength and outcomes

brand name

the name under which the manufacturer markets patented drug; also known as the trade name

burden of proof

the obligation of a person or party filing a lawsuit to provide enough evidence to prove a case

certification

the process by which a professional organization grants recognition to an individual who has met certain predetermined qualifications

child-resistant container

a medication container with a special lid that cannot be opened by 80% of children under age 5 but can be opened by 90% of adults; designed to prevent child access to drugs to reduce the number of accidental poisonings

civil law

the category of law that concerns citizens and the crimes they commit against each other

controlled substance

a drug with potential for abuse; organized into five schedules of restriction that specify the way the drug must be stores, dispensed, recorded and inventoried

Controlled Substances Act (CSA)

a federal law created to combat and control drug abuse

criminal law

the category of law that addresses broken laws and regulation-offenses against the government as it represents the public

defendant

one who defends against accusations brought forward in a lawsuit

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

the branch of the US Justice Department that is responsible for regulating the sale and use of drugs with abuse potential

Drug Quality and Security Act (DQSA)

an act to create regulatory oversight over small-batch medication compounding

epidemic

a regional widespread contagious disease

ethics

standards of behavior that all professionals are encouraged to follow

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

the agency of the federal government that is responsible for ensuring the safety and efficacy of food and drugs prepared for the market

Food and Drug Modernization Act of 1997

The federal law that improved the regulation of small batch compounding biological products, medical devices, and food.

four Ds of negligence

include duty, dereliction, damages and direct cause

generic drug

a drug that contains the same active ingredients as the brand name product and delivers the same amount of medication to the body for a similar medicinal effect; acetaminophen is the generic drug for the brand Tylenol

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

a law passed by Congress that addressed the confidentiality of patient medical records as well as prescription records

Joint Commission

an independent governing body that sets standards for quality patient care and safety in hospitals and other healthcare facilities; this organization is responsible for the accreditation of hospitals

law

a rule that is designed to protect the public and is usually enforced through local, state or federal governments

law of agency and contracts

the general principle that allows an employee to enter into contracts on the employer's behalf

legend drug

a drug that requires a prescription; labeled "Rx only" on medication stock bottle

licensure

the granting of a license by a state board, usually to allow work in a profession to protect the public; all pharmacists must be licensed to practice by their state boards of pharmacy

malpractice

a form of negligence in which the standard of care was not met and was the direct cause of injury

Medicare Modernization Act

the federal law called the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act, which updated Medicare, added Medical D and C, and required the offer of annual MTM reviews for medicare patients, especially on high-cost drugs or with chronic conditions

methamphetamine (meth)

a highly addictive illegal stimulant made from specific OTC drug ingredients

misbranded product

a product whose label includes false statements about the identity or ingredients of the container's contents

National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)

an organization that represents the practice of pharmacy in each state and develops pharmacist licensure exams and Model Pharmacy Practice acts

National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP)

A non-for-profit organization that issues an NCPDP Provider ID Number to pharmacies and providers of pharmaceuticals doing online transactions

National Drug Code (NDC) number

a unique number assigned to any brand name or generic drug products to identify the manufacturer, drug and packaging size

National Provider Identifier (NPI)

the unique number assigned to the provider by the federal government to allow authorized healthcare providers to process insurance claims for pharmacy reimbursement.

negligence

a tort civil case about carelessness that led to harm to someone else

new drug application (NDA)

the process through which drug sponsors formally propose that the FDA approve a new pharmaceutical for sale and marketing in the United States

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

an agency of the Department of Labor, whose primary mission is to ensure the safety and health of the US workers by setting and enforcing regulations and standards

orphan drug

a medication approved by the FDA to treat rare diseases

pandemic

a globally widespread contagious disease, or an epidemic that has reached an enormous international effort

patent drug

another name for an over-the-counter (OTC) medication

Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (PSQI)

A federal law passed in 2005 dedicated to promoting a culture of patient safety and quality assurance; it created a network of safety databases and the ability to create PSOs

Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs)

groups designed to collect and analyze error data from more than one health provider and offer quality improvement counsel

plaintiff

one who files a lawsuit for the courts to decide upon

professional standards

guidelines of acceptable behavior and performance established by professional associations

reasonable doubt

the standard of proof or evidence that the plaintiff must provide in a case involving crimes against the local, state or federal government

registration

the process of becoming enrolled on a list created by the state board of pharmacy in order to practice

schedule

a listing of controlled substances categorized for a specific level of restriction by the DEA according to their potential for abuse and physical or psychological dependence

standard

a guideline, benchmark, or desired level of quality to serve as the expected norm for a product or professional performace

standard of care

the usual and customary level of practice in the community

state boards of pharmacy

governing bodies responsible for the regulation of the practice of the pharmacy within the states.

statutory law

a law passed by a legislative body at either the federal, state, or local level

subpoena

a legal order

thalidomide

a drug prescribed for pregnant women in other countries in the 1960s, causing birth defects, but the FDA refused approval, saving many children from these effects

tort

the legal term in lawsuits for personal injuries that one citizen commits against another

U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP)

the independent, nonprofit scientific organization responsible for setting and publishing official quality standards for all drugs sold in the US, as well as standards for practice

U.S. Pharmacopeia-National Formulary (USP-NF)

a resource published by the USP Convention that contains USP standards for medicines, dosage forms, drug substances, inactive ingredients, medical devices, and dietary supplements. It includes Chapters <795>, which addresses best practices for nonsterile compounding; <797>, which address sterile and hazardous compounding; and <800>, which addresses hazardous compounding, among other chapters that handle compounding issues

Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS)

an accreditation of quality for Internet pharmacies that is recognized by 17 US cases