Committee hears bill to let out-of-state pharmacies join Maryland prescription drug repository

House Bill 13-10 would allow the State Board of Pharmacy to approve out‑of‑state pharmacies to participate in Maryland’s prescription drug repository program, enabling donated, unopened and unexpired medications collected outside Maryland to be redistributed to Maryland patients in need.

Supporters said the change would increase the supply of affordable, donated medicines available to Marylanders and make redistribution more efficient. George Wong, a co‑founder of a nonprofit that operates drug repository programs in multiple states, testified that his organization operates in 11 states and “has helped get … prescriptions worth nearly $300,000,000 to help patients in need.” Wong said expanding out‑of‑state participation lets larger nonprofit partners match donated stock with patients’ needs and cited Good Pill Pharmacy as an example of an out‑of‑state participant that has filled large volumes of prescriptions in other states.

The measure’s sponsor, Delegate Bandari, said the program’s original goals are not being met at scale. Committee members and witnesses noted that only two Maryland independent pharmacies are currently approved to redistribute donated drugs and that matching available medicines to patients who need them is the principal operational challenge.

Members pressed witnesses on how the start‑to‑finish flow would work. Wong described a model in which out‑of‑state mail‑order repository pharmacies aggregate donated stock, verify unopened and unexpired status, and then dispense or mail medications to qualifying Maryland patients, while Maryland donations would be prioritized for Maryland patients “to the extent feasible.” He added that surplus Maryland medicines sometimes go to other states if there is no local need.

Questions about state oversight and workload were raised. The vice chair asked whether the Board of Pharmacy has capacity to monitor additional out‑of‑state licenses; a departmental witness said registration of an out‑of‑state pharmacy would fall to the Board and that the fiscal and staffing implications should be discussed with that agency.

An advocate from Maryland Right to Life testified in opposition unless the bill is amended to exclude use for abortion drugs. Deborah Brocato said Maryland spends public money on abortion and that expanding repositories could increase access to abortion medications; she urged an unfavorable report without an amendment.

Committee members also flagged the bill’s fiscal note. The chair said the fiscal estimate was about $112,000 and asked the sponsor to work with the Board of Pharmacy to reduce it below a $75,000 threshold the committee prefers for certain measures.

This bill will be referred to subcommittee for further consideration and technical follow‑up with the Board of Pharmacy and the Prescription Drug Affordability Board.

Ending: The committee concluded the hearing on House Bill 13-10 and moved to other bills on the docket.