Illinois House Bill HB5505

Illinois 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/9/24
• Refer: 3/12/24
• Refer: 2/9/24
• Refer: 4/5/24

Caption

PHARMACY-PRESCRIPTION READER

Impact

This legislation has significant implications for state laws relating to pharmacy practices. By requiring all pharmacies to offer these accessible labels, the state aims to uphold the rights of individuals with visual impairments and enhance their independence when managing medications. The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation will be responsible for adopting rules to enforce these provisions, thus establishing standardized protocols within the state's pharmacies for better compliance.

Summary

House Bill 5505, introduced by Rep. Kevin John Olickal, amends the Pharmacy Practice Act to ensure that pharmacies provide accessible prescription labels to individuals who are blind, visually impaired, or otherwise print disabled. The bill mandates that pharmacies must notify every customer that an accessible prescription label is available upon request at no additional cost, thus enhancing the accessibility of prescription information for individuals with disabilities. Furthermore, if requested, pharmacies must provide prescription labels compatible with available prescription readers, facilitating improved communication of medication details.

Contention

While the intention behind HB5505 is to improve accessibility, there may be concerns over the practicalities of implementation. Pharmacies, especially smaller operations, may face challenges in ensuring compliance without incurring additional costs. As the bill does not extend its requirements to institutional pharmacies or correctional institutions, questions may arise regarding the consistency of accessible practices across different types of pharmacies. Stakeholders might express divergent views on whether the measures are sufficient or whether further regulations are required to ensure equity in healthcare access.