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Board of Pharmacy

New License Type FAQs

To find answers to common questions regarding outsourcing facilities, third-party logistics providers (3PLs), and non-resident wholesale drug distributors, please view this New License Types FAQs document.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Licensing/Applications

What are the requirements for changes of name, physical location, ownership, pharmacist-in-charge, or facility manager? (This question only applies to pharmacies, wholesale drug distributors, outsourcing facilities, and third-party logistics providers).

For pharmacies, a new and separate application is required if there is a change of DBA name, ownership (parent/direct), or physical location. A new application is not required for a change in pharmacist-in-charge; however, a notification of this change is required within 10 days using form #08-4064.

For wholesale drug distributors undergoing a change in physical location, ownership, or facility manager, the new facility manager must submit a notification of change in manager using form #08-4064. The facility manager must also submit a completed fingerprint card and resumes of all officers, directors, or primary stakeholders. These must be submitted within 30 days of the change(s).

For outsourcing facilities and third-party logistics providers undergoing a change in name, physical location, ownership, or facility manager, a new and separate application is required. If the change involves a change in facility manager, an incoming and ongoing notice of this change must accompany the application using forms #08-4064 and #08-4285. The change in facility manager notification must be submitted within 10 days.

Does a third-party logistics provider selling or transporting over-the-counter (OTC) medications require a license?

No, the board does not have the authority to regulate the sale of OTC products as explicitly provided in AS 08.80.045. The board only has authority to require a license for third-party logistics providers transporting prescription drugs under AS 08.80.159, so if the products being transported only include OTC products, a license is not required.

Is a reverse distributor receiving controlled substances for the purposes of returning the substances or processing the substances for disposal on behalf of another entity registered by the DEA required to obtain a license?

No, the board does not require a reverse distributor to become licensed in Alaska so long as the facility is not selling or intending to sell the substances.

How can I find out about the status of my application?

All applications and documents are processed in the order they are received and updates to your application will be available through the My License portal after you receive the web authorization. If your application is incomplete, you will be notified of the status and what is needed for completion as soon as your application is reviewed. Please use your My License portal for status updates rather than send emails to the Alaska Board of Pharmacy.

What should I do if I have a Conviction, but still want to apply for a license?

Carefully read the instructions in this section of the application. It will instruct you to submit a letter of self explanation and a copy of the legal/court/board documents addressing the conviction. When your application is complete, it will be forwarded to Investigations for review. It will then be reviewed by a quorum of Board of Pharmacy members who will make the final licensing decision.

What are the licensing requirements for Durable Medical Equipment vendors?

All DME vendors must have an Alaska Business License. If you also ship prescription medications directly to Alaska residents (vs. shipping to a facility), you are also required to be licensed by the Board of Pharmacy.

Can I fax or scan an application document?

Yes. Documents can be sent via fax to (907) 465-2974 or mailed to the address at the top of the document. If you submit a document via fax please do not also send it via mail as this will create double processing for staff which will lead to longer processing times. We cannot accept applications or any other documents with payment information via email.

How do I download a List of Licensees from your database?
  1. Go to the homepage for Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing.
  2. Choose the Professional Licensing Box.
  3. Under Important Links, select Download List of License Holders
  4. Select Pharmacy from the drop down list of professions & hit continue.
  5. Make the selection you want from Step 2 and Step 3
  6. Enter the email address to send the information in Step 4 AND choose Get Count and email the Data OR Give me a Count
Is my license activity public record?

Yes, licensing records are public documents and available to members of the public upon written request and payment of copying fees. Information considered confidential and not releasable to the general public include social security numbers and other information considered confidential by state or federal law. Your address of record is public information and is displayed on the division’s online License Search. Licensees have expressed concern that their address is so readily available. Some licensees have elected to have a post office box or practice location for their official address of record to avoid having their residential address easily accessible. Please be advised that all notices from the Board (renewal notices, licenses, and other legal documents) will be mailed to the address of record provided.

What disciplinary actions or convictions must be disclosed for facility applicants and licensed facilities?

For facilities that are now or at any time have been licensed for the manufacture or distribution of drugs or devices including as a third-party logistics provider, wholesale facility, or wholesale drug distributor:

Disciplinary actions, including suspension or revocation by federal, state, or local government issued against the facility’s present or former license for the manufacture and distribution of drugs and devices.

For all facilities:
Felony convictions of an owner of the specific licensed facility.

Example: Real Estate Company (REC) owns the building where a pharmacy is located, and REC is convicted of felony wire fraud. REC may in turn be owned by Pharmacy Co., but it is only convictions of REC that must be disclosed, not all felony convictions of any Pharmacy Co. subsidiary or other facilities that are owned by Pharmacy Co. or its parent company.

Felony convictions of an employee of the specific licensed facility.

Example: Cashier at Anytown Pharmacy has been convicted of distribution of child pornography. Cashier’s conviction must be disclosed.

Felony convictions of the licensee.

Example: Anytown Pharmacy, owned by Pharmacy Co. is convicted of felony Medicaid fraud. Conviction of Anytown Pharmacy must be disclosed, not felony convictions of any other pharmacy owned by Pharmacy Co.

Disciplinary decisions issued against the licensee.

Example: Anytown Pharmacy is disciplined by the board for violating regulations relating to shared pharmacy services. Disciplinary action against Anytown Pharmacy must be disclosed.

Convictions of the licensee for any crime that affects the licensee’s ability to practice competently and safely.

Example: Anytown Pharmacy is convicted of a crime listed in 12 AAC 52.925. Conviction of Anytown Pharmacy must be disclosed, not convictions of similar crimes by any other licensee owned by Pharmacy Co.

Can I get a Temporary License?

Contact the Board of Pharmacy licensing examiner for temporary permit requirements or read 12 AAC 52.100 in the Pharmacy Statutes and Regulations book.

A prescriber in my area recently had his/her license to practice suspended/revoked or is deceased. Can I fill a prescription written by him/her? What about refills?

The answer in Alaska is fairly simple. The law generally requires for a prescription to be valid, it must be written by a properly licensed prescriber, written in the normal ordinary course of practice, for an actual patient of that prescriber, and be for a legitimate medical reason. Thus, so long as the prescriber’s license was valid when the prescription was written for his/her patient (with whom there was an actual provider-patient relationship), the prescription was written in the usual course of practice, and it is for a legitimate medical reason, then the prescription may be filled. The same analysis applies for refills. For a quick example, Dr. Jones writes a prescription for his patient, Mr. Smith on April 6, 2016, with three refills. The next day, on April 7, Dr. Jones surrenders his license and DEA registration. If Mr. Smith presents the prescription and the pharmacist believes it was written in the usual course and for a legitimate medical purpose, the prescription and refills may be honored. It the same if the prescriber should become deceased.

I would like to apply by score transfer. What is the difference between license transfer and score transfer and how do I get the NABP to send a copy of my NAPLEX exam scores to the Alaska Board of Pharmacy?

Application by license transfer is different from the score transfer process. The license transfer application in actuality is to apply by reciprocity under AS 08.80.145 and requires the applicant to apply with the NABP for a license transfer to be sent to the Alaska Board of Pharmacy. The license transfer document made available to the board will show whether the applicant passed the NAPLEX and for which jurisdiction the examination was taken. This will suffice for documentation of the NAPLEX exam results required under 12 AAC 52.095. The NABP’s score transfer program is intended for applicants applying by examination under 12 AAC 52.070 and allows pharmacist license applicants to arrange for a NAPLEX score report transfer from a jurisdiction in which this exam was previously and successfully taken. Alaska Board of Pharmacy regulation allows score transfers under 12 AAC 52.090(c), which requires the applicant to arrange with the NABP the transfer of a NAPLEX score to the Alaska Board of Pharmacy. If pursuing this option, please indicate this on your application. Please note that the score transfer option is only available to applicants who have taken the NAPLEX within 90 days as the NABP only makes available these scores for that time period. If the date of which you will be submitting your application has surpassed this 90-day timeframe, please do not indicate this application option.


Regulations

Does the board regulate point-of-care testing and/or provide CLIA waivers?

No, the board does not regulate point-of-care testing as these are promulgated by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) program. For more information, please visit DHSS' Division of Public Health website.

Where can I find a link to the United States Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) list of all currently approved interchangeable biological products?

Approved biosimilar and interchangeable products can be found at the FDA's Biosimilar Product Information Webpage.

Does the board require controlled substances to be written on tamper-resistant prescription pads?

While the board does not have this requirement under AS 08.80 or 12 AAC 52, it is recommended by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that written prescriptions be on tamper-resistant script pads. Pharmacies should follow the Medicaid Tamper Resistant Prescription Law, which states that as of April 2, 2008, a prescription must contain at least one of the following measures to be considered tamper resistant: feature designed to prevent unauthorized copying of a completed or blank prescription form; features designed to prevent the modification or removal of information written on the prescription pad; or features designed to prevent the use of counterfeit prescriptions. If in doubt of the legitimacy of the prescription, please communicate with the prescribing practitioner.

What are the requirements to independently administer vaccines and related emergency medications, and who is authorized to do this? Are there continuing education requirements associated with this?

Pharmacists and pharmacy interns can independently administer immunizations or an epinephrine injection or other medication for the treatment of a severe allergic reaction only after completion of required training accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and completion of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) training. The full list of requirements can be found under AS 08.80.168, 12 AAC 52.992, and 7 AAC 27.650 under the Department of Health and Social Services (see the VacTrAK document here). The independent administration of immunizations or related emergency medications does not require prior board approval. The board also does not require pharmacists or pharmacy interns to submit to our department documentation of successful completion of these courses; however, pharmacists supervising an intern planning to engage in providing immunizations or related emergency medications should use their due diligence to ensure the pharmacy intern has complied with the training requirements. Only pharmacy interns whose supervising pharmacists prescribe the immunization or related emergency medication and otherwise comply with 12 AAC 52.992 can engage in this activity.

Licensees wishing to engage in the continuous administration of immunizations and related emergency medications must participate in one hour of continuing education activity in accordance with 12 AAC 52.320(e)

License Requirements for Individual Pharmacists Working for Tribal Health Programs Can a pharmacist-in-charge (PIC) be a PIC for more than one pharmacy?

There is currently no restriction as to how many pharmacies an individual PIC can be in charge of. Although it is only specified for remote pharmacies under 12 AAC 52.425 that a PIC can be a PIC for more than one remote pharmacies, similar language is not found for pharmacies in general. Pharmacists who choose to be personally responsible for more than one pharmacy can do so at their discretion, but must be knowledgeable of all their responsibilities under AS 08, 12 AAC 52, and applicable federal law. If you will be an incoming PIC of an existing licensed pharmacy, please note you must submit the applicable form #08-4064 within 30 days of the appointment as PIC.

How does the board determine license disciplinary action?

When the board is considering license disciplinary action, they use the two disciplinary matrices found below which were created using past disciplinary action precedent for similar violations of statute and/or regulation. Please note - these are suggested guidelines based on case precedent for the board to consider, and the board has the ultimate and final decision.

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