Several years ago, the Kentucky General Assembly approved legislation that would allow pharmacists to dispense a 72-hour supply of a prescription medication in cases of emergency.
However, insulin and most medications used to treat chronic respiratory diseases are designed to provide multiple doses and are not available in supplies that small. Therefore, pharmacists were prohibited from automatically dispensing an emergency supply of inhalers and insulin supplies.
Kevin’s Law changed that. Simply put, Kevin’s Law allows pharmacists to dispense medications in the smallest supply available. It allows trained medical providers to use their education and resources to properly serve patients.
Prior to this new law, if a patient’s prescription for a vial of insulin was out of refills, no emergency refill could be provided. In fact, HB 64 is named for Kevin Houdeshell, an Ohio man with diabetes who died after running out of insulin on New Year’s Eve in 2013. Kevin and his pharmacist tried multiple times, but were unable to reach his doctor. He died waiting on that refill.
