Virginia Law

Article 2.1. Registration of Nonresident Pharmacies.

A. Any pharmacy located outside the Commonwealth that ships, mails, or delivers, in any manner, Schedule II through VI drugs or devices pursuant to a prescription into the Commonwealth shall be considered a nonresident pharmacy, shall be registered with the Board, shall designate a pharmacist in charge who is licensed as a pharmacist in Virginia and is responsible for the pharmacy's compliance with this chapter, and shall disclose to the Board all of the following:

1. The location, names, and titles of all principal corporate officers and the name and Virginia license number of the designated pharmacist in charge, if applicable. A report containing this information shall be made on an annual basis and within 30 days after any change of office, corporate officer, or pharmacist in charge.

2. That it maintains, at all times, a current unrestricted license, permit, certificate, or registration to conduct the pharmacy in compliance with the laws of the jurisdiction, within the United States or within another jurisdiction that may lawfully deliver prescription drugs directly or indirectly to consumers within the United States, in which it is a resident. The pharmacy shall also certify that it complies with all lawful directions and requests for information from the regulatory or licensing agency of the jurisdiction in which it is licensed as well as with all requests for information made by the Board pursuant to this section.

3. As a prerequisite to registering or renewing a registration with the Board, the nonresident pharmacy shall submit a copy of a current inspection report resulting from an inspection conducted by the regulatory or licensing agency of the jurisdiction in which it is located that indicates compliance with the requirements of this chapter, including compliance with USP-NF standards for pharmacies performing sterile and non-sterile compounding. The inspection report shall be deemed current for the purpose of this subdivision if the inspection was conducted (i) no more than six months prior to the date of submission of an application for registration with the Board or (ii) no more than two years prior to the date of submission of an application for renewal of a registration with the Board. However, if the nonresident pharmacy has not been inspected by the regulatory or licensing agency of the jurisdiction in which it is licensed within the required period, the Board may accept an inspection report or other documentation from another entity that is satisfactory to the Board or the Board may cause an inspection to be conducted by its duly authorized agent and may charge an inspection fee in an amount sufficient to cover the costs of the inspection.

4. For a nonresident pharmacy that dispenses more than 50 percent of its total prescription volume pursuant to an original prescription order received as a result of solicitation on the Internet, including the solicitation by electronic mail, that it is credentialed and has been inspected and that it has received certification from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy that it is a Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site, or has received certification from a substantially similar program approved by the Board. The Board may, in its discretion, waive the requirements of this subdivision for a nonresident pharmacy that only does business within the Commonwealth in limited transactions.

5. That it maintains its records of prescription drugs or dangerous drugs or devices dispensed to patients in the Commonwealth so that the records are readily retrievable from the records of other drugs dispensed and provides a copy or report of such dispensing records to the Board, its authorized agents, or any agent designated by the Superintendent of the Department of State Police upon request within seven days of receipt of a request.

6. That its pharmacists do not knowingly fill or dispense a prescription for a patient in Virginia in violation of § 54.1-3303 and that it has informed its pharmacists that a pharmacist who dispenses a prescription that he knows or should have known was not written pursuant to a bona fide practitioner-patient relationship is guilty of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance in violation of § 18.2-248.

7. That it maintains a continuous quality improvement program as required of resident pharmacies, pursuant to § 54.1-3434.03.

The requirement that a nonresident pharmacy have a Virginia licensed pharmacist in charge shall not apply to a registered nonresident pharmacy that provides services as a pharmacy benefits administrator.

B. Any pharmacy subject to this section shall, during its regular hours of operation, but not less than six days per week, and for a minimum of 40 hours per week, provide a toll-free telephone service to facilitate communication between patients in the Commonwealth and a pharmacist at the pharmacy who has access to the patient's records. This toll-free number shall be disclosed on a label affixed to each container of drugs dispensed to patients in the Commonwealth.

C. Pharmacies subject to this section shall comply with the reporting requirements of the Prescription Monitoring Program as set forth in § 54.1-2521.

D. The registration fee shall be the fee specified for pharmacies within Virginia.

E. A nonresident pharmacy shall only deliver controlled substances that are dispensed pursuant to a prescription, directly to the consumer or his designated agent, or directly to a pharmacy located in Virginia pursuant to regulations of the Board.

F. Pharmacies subject to this section shall comply with the requirements set forth in § 54.1-3408.04 relating to dispensing of an interchangeable biosimilar in the place of a prescribed biological product.

G. Every nonresident pharmacy shall comply with federal requirements for an electronic, interoperable system to identify, trace, and verify prescription drugs as they are distributed.

1990, c. 270; 1994, c. 300; 2000, c. 882; 2005, cc. 115, 637, 678; 2006, c. 397; 2008, cc. 79, 618; 2011, c. 124; 2013, cc. 412, 544, 765; 2016, c. 221.

The Board shall only register nonresident pharmacies that maintain a current unrestricted license, certificate, permit, or registration as a pharmacy in a jurisdiction within the United States, or within another jurisdiction that may lawfully deliver prescription drugs directly or indirectly to consumers within the United States.

Applications for a nonresident pharmacy registration, under this section, shall be made on a form furnished by the Board. The Board may require such information as it deems is necessary to carry out the purpose of the section.

The permit or nonresident pharmacy registration shall be renewed annually on a date determined by the Board in regulation. Renewal is contingent upon the nonresident pharmacy providing documentation of a current inspection report in accordance with subdivision A 3 of § 54.1-3434.1; continuing current, unrestricted licensure in the resident jurisdiction; and continuing certification if required in subdivision A 4 of § 54.1-3434.1.

1990, c. 270; 2005, c. 115; 2008, cc. 79, 320, 618; 2013, c. 765.

The Board may deny, revoke, suspend, or take other disciplinary actions against a nonresident pharmacy registration as provided for in § 54.1-3316.

The Board shall immediately suspend, without a hearing, the registration of any nonresident pharmacy upon receipt of documentation by the licensing agency in the jurisdiction where a nonresident pharmacy registered with the Board is located, that the nonresident pharmacy has had its license, certificate, permit, or registration as a pharmacy revoked or suspended by that agency and has not been reinstated, or if the Board has received notification from the licensing agency that the pharmacy in the resident state no longer holds a valid unexpired license, permit, certificate, or registration as a pharmacy. The Board shall provide written notice of the suspension to the nonresident pharmacy at the address of record on file with the Board and to the resident-state licensing agency. The nonresident pharmacy may apply for reinstatement of the registration only after it has been reinstated by and holds a current and unrestricted license, certificate, permit, or registration as a pharmacy from the licensing agency in the jurisdiction where it is located. Such nonresident pharmacy shall be entitled to a hearing not later than the next regular meeting of the Board after the expiration of 60 days from the receipt of such application, and shall have the right to be represented by counsel and to summon witnesses to testify on its behalf.

The Board may summarily suspend the registration of any nonresident pharmacy without a hearing, simultaneously with the institution of proceedings for a hearing, if it finds that there is a substantial danger to the public health or safety that warrants such action. The Board may meet by telephone conference call when summarily suspending the registration if a good faith effort to assemble a quorum of the Board has failed and, in the judgment of a majority of the members of the Board, the continued dispensing by the nonresident pharmacy constitutes a substantial danger to the public health or safety. Institution of proceedings for a hearing shall be provided simultaneously with the summary suspension. The hearing shall be scheduled within a reasonable time of the date of the summary suspension. The Board may consider other information concerning possible violations of Virginia law at a hearing, if reasonable notice is given to such nonresident pharmacy of the information.

A nonresident pharmacy with a suspended registration shall not ship, mail, or deliver any Schedule II through VI drugs into the Commonwealth unless reinstated by the Board.

The Board may refer complaints concerning nonresident pharmacies to the regulatory or licensing agency in the jurisdiction where the pharmacy is located. The Board may take other disciplinary action against a nonresident pharmacy in accordance with §§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-3316 following notice and the opportunity for a hearing.

1990, c. 270; 2005, c. 115; 2007, c. 662; 2019, c. 138.

A. It is unlawful for any person or entity which is not registered under this article to (i) conduct the business of shipping, mailing, or otherwise delivering Schedule II through VI controlled substances into Virginia or (ii) advertise the availability for purchase of any Schedule II through VI controlled substances by any citizen of the Commonwealth. Further, it shall be unlawful for any person who is a resident of Virginia to advertise the pharmacy services of a nonresident pharmacy or compounding services of an outsourcing facility that has not registered with the Board, with the knowledge that the advertisement will or is likely to induce members of the public in the Commonwealth to use the pharmacy or outsourcing facility to obtain controlled substances.

B. Any controlled substance that is ordered or shipped in violation of any provision of this chapter, shall be considered as contraband and may be seized by any law-enforcement officer or any agent of the Board of Pharmacy.

1990, c. 270; 2005, c. 115; 2008, cc. 79, 618; 2015, c. 300.

A. Any outsourcing facility located outside the Commonwealth that ships, mails, or delivers in any manner Schedule II through VI drugs or devices into the Commonwealth shall be considered a nonresident outsourcing facility and shall be registered with the Board.

B. Applications for registration to act as a non-resident outsourcing facility shall be made on a form provided by the Board and signed by a pharmacist who is licensed as a pharmacist in Virginia and who is in full and actual charge of the outsourcing facility, is fully engaged in the compounding performed at the location stated on the application, and is fully responsible for the outsourcing facility's compliance with state and federal law and regulations. Such application shall be accompanied by a fee determined by the Board in regulation. All registrations shall expire annually on a date determined by the Board in regulation.

C. As a prerequisite to registering or renewing a registration with the Board, the outsourcing facility shall (i) register as an outsourcing facility with the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services in accordance with 21 U.S.C. § 353b and (ii) submit a copy of a current inspection report resulting from an inspection conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that indicates compliance with the requirements of state and federal law and regulations, including all applicable guidance documents and Current Good Manufacturing Practices published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The inspection report required pursuant to clause (ii) shall be deemed current for the purposes of this section if the inspection was conducted (a) no more than one year prior to the date of submission of an application for registration with the Board or (b) no more than two years prior to the date of submission of an application for renewal of a registration with the Board. However, if the outsourcing facility has not been inspected by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration within the required period, the Board may accept an inspection report or other documentation from another entity that is satisfactory to the Board, or the Board may cause an inspection to be conducted by its duly authorized agent and may charge an inspection fee in an amount sufficient to cover the costs of the inspection.

D. A nonresident outsourcing facility shall not engage in compounding of drug products to be dispensed pursuant to a valid prescription for a specific patient without first obtaining a registration to operate a nonresident pharmacy. The nonresident pharmacy shall comply with all state and federal laws, regulations, and requirements except § 54.1-3410.2.

2015, c. 300.