HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 990        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2027

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act relative to gentamycin pediatric risk notification..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after Section 220 the following section:— Section 221. Any medical professional prescribing the antibiotic gentamycin for pediatric patients shall be required to provide parental notification prior to prescribing the medication. The parental notification shall include the potential risks and side effects associated with the antibiotic, including ototoxicity, nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity. Any medical professional prescribing gentamycin to a pediatric patient shall document in the patient’s medical records the medical risks and side effects associated with the medication, including ototoxicity, nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity. Any pediatric patient who is prescribed gentamycin shall have periodic serum peak and trough gentamycin blood level tests to monitor the patient’s health. Any medical professional prescribing gentamycin to a pediatric patient shall notify the Massachusetts commission for the deaf and hard of hearing each time the antibiotic is prescribed.