House advances bill to authorize pharmacists to perform CLIA-waived tests under collaborative agreements

The South Carolina House advanced Senate Bill 449 on a procedural vote after adopting a committee amendment that expands collaborative practice agreements between physicians and pharmacists.

Mr. Sessions, who explained the committee amendment on the House floor, said the change "allows pharmacist to perform simple federally approved lab tests called CLIA waived test. And if the test come back positive, they provide treatment for that illness or like a COVID test." He told members that the bill requires collaborative and identical protocols authorized by the board of pharmacy and the board of medical examiners and directs those boards to promulgate regulations before the arrangement may be implemented.

The amendment, which sponsors described as focused on patient care and medication-management services delegated by a physician, was adopted without extended floor debate. The House then recorded the bill for second reading and gave unanimous consent to deliver it for third reading on the following day.

Supporters told the chamber the change would let pharmacists perform evidence-based medication management and certain patient-care services while ensuring regulatory oversight by the boards named in the bill. Sponsors emphasized that implementation is prohibited until the board of pharmacy and the board of medical examiners issue regulations to govern the practice.

Opponents did not force extensive floor debate during the session recorded in the transcript. The bill will next return for third reading, contingent on the boards’ rulemaking to define protocols and scope of pharmacist responsibilities.

The bill’s advancement marks an effort by the Legislature to broaden collaborative roles for pharmacists while tying operational details to state regulatory action.