HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2595        FILED ON: 2/18/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 743

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act establishing a commission to study a state-wide drug repository program.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

2/8/2021

Susan Williams Gifford

2nd Plymouth

2/25/2021

Paul K. Frost

7th Worcester

3/11/2021

Kimberly N. Ferguson

1st Worcester

3/22/2021

Mathew J. Muratore

1st Plymouth

3/25/2021

Steven S. Howitt

4th Bristol

3/31/2021


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2595        FILED ON: 2/18/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 743

By Mr. Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 743) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others relative to establishing a special commission (including members of the General Court) to study and provide recommendations on the feasibility of implementing a drug repository program for high cost pharmaceuticals.  Elder Affairs.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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An Act establishing a commission to study a state-wide drug repository program.

 

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

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be a special commission to study and provide recommendations on the feasibility of Massachusetts implementing a drug repository program for high cost pharmaceuticals, excluding Schedule I and Schedule II controlled substances.

The special commission shall examine the implementation of successful drug repository programs in other states and determine the possibility of establishing a similar program in the commonwealth. The study shall include determining what parties should be permitted to donate medication and develop eligibility requirements for parties receiving donated medication. The special commission shall also examine the types of medication to be included within the program with a particular focus on prescription drugs intended to treat chronic illness and cancer.

The special commission shall also recommend guidelines and regulations to ensure public safety and provide estimates of the potential savings for the program’s consumers. Recommendations from the special commission may include but not be limited to requiring donated medication to be sealed and within the recommended period of shelf life or permitting the return and reuse of medications in approved facilities only.

The commission shall consist of the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on health care financing, who shall serve as the co-chairs; the speaker of the house of representatives or a designee; the president of the senate or a designee; the house minority leader or a designee; the senate minority leader or designee; the director of the health policy commission or a designee; the commissioner of the department of public health or a designee; and the executive director of the center for health information and analysis or a designee.

The commission shall submit its report and findings, along with any recommendations, to the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on health care financing, and the clerks of the house of representatives and senate by February 1, 2022.