Provides for the creation of a drug guide for seniors regarding the drugs commonly used by people over 62 years of age; provides that such guide will include functions and drug interactions.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2326A
SPONSOR: Dinowitz (MS) TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the elder law, in relation to creating
and distributing a drug guide for senior consumers
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Provides for the creation of a prescription drug guide for seniors
regarding the drugs commonly used by people over 62 years of age.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
This bill amends the elder law adding a new section 225, to require that
the director of SOFA publish a guide explaining the purpose, function,
and common drug interactions of drugs commonly used by persons over the
age of 62. The director is required to work in conjunction with the
state board of pharmacy, and to consult with the Department of Health,
This guide must include the effects of combining medications with alco-
hol, and must have a warning stating: "do not begin taking, stop
taking, or alter your dosage of any medications without consulting your
doctor or other healthcare practitioner", written in 14 point font on
the first page of the guide. The director is to take such action as
necessary to make the guide available on their website. The guide is to
be made available to individuals upon request and without charge through
local area agencies on aging (AAA's), except that requests for more than
ten copies must be subject to a charge to cover the cost of reproduction
and handling. This guide will also be available in the six most common
languages other than English. The guide shall also be updated as needed
to maintain accuracy and relevance.
JUSTIFICATION:
The creation of a prescription drug guide for seniors would make seniors
aware of the specific effects of the drugs seniors commonly use, so they
understand the effects the drugs will have on them. Often times,
seniors are prescribed a lot of medication and/or self-medicate with
over the counter medicines. Certain drug interactions can be life
threatening. Seniors need to be made aware of the likely contraindica-
tions of certain commonly prescribed drugs and over the counter medica-
tions.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2017-18: A.633- Passed Assembly/S.3585 - Referred to Finance
2015-16: A.422A - Passed Assembly/S.7739 - Referred to Aging
2013-14- A.363 - Passed Assembly/S.2239 - Referred to Aging
2011-12- A.2154-A- Passed Assembly/S.2179-A- Advanced to Third Reading
2009-10: A.1962- Passed Assembly/S.2031- Reported to Finance
2007-08: A.6278-A- Passed Assembly/S.S6854- Referred to Aging
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
This bill is subject to making an appropriation
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of September next succeeding the
date on which it shall have become law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2326--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 22, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. DINOWITZ, M. G. MILLER, COLTON, OTIS, SEAWRIGHT,
SIMON, WILLIAMS, ORTIZ, JOYNER, COOK, D'URSO, CRESPO, NIOU, MAGNAREL-
LI, ABINANTI, BLAKE, BARRON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BRAUN-
STEIN, ENGLEBRIGHT, HYNDMAN, PERRY, WEINSTEIN -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Aging -- reported and referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the elder law, in relation to creating and distributing
a drug guide for senior consumers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The elder law is amended by adding a new section 225 to
2 read as follows:
3 § 225. Senior drug guide. The director, in conjunction with the state
4 board of pharmacy, and after consultation with the department of health,
5 shall, within amounts made available by appropriation therefor, prepare
6 and publish a guide explaining the purpose, function, and common drug
7 interactions of drugs commonly used by persons over the age of sixty-
8 two. The guide shall also include the effects of combining such medica-
9 tions with alcohol consumption. Prominently written in at least four-
10 teen point type on the first page of the guide shall be the following
11 caution: "Do not begin taking, stop taking, or alter your dosage of any
12 medications without consulting your doctor or other healthcare practi-
13 tioner." The director shall take such actions as shall be necessary and
14 appropriate to make such guide available on their website and without
15 charge through designated agencies, as such term is defined in section
16 two hundred fourteen of this title, and in the six most common non-Engl-
17 ish languages spoken by individuals with limited English proficiency in
18 the state of New York, according to the latest available data from the
19 United States Bureau of Census. Requests for more than ten copies shall
20 be subject to a reasonable charge to cover the cost of reproduction and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00643-03-9
A. 2326--A 2
1 handling. This guide shall be updated as needed to maintain accuracy and
2 relevancy of the information contained therein.
3 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of September next
4 succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
