You'll find general resources to major health-related agencies here, along with pharmacy-related resources from pharmacy associations and other pharmacy-centric organizations.

General Resources

Texas Department of State Health Services - dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus

Texas Department of Insurance - www.tdi.texas.gov/news/2020/coronavirus-updates.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

World Health Organization - www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Diversion Control Division - www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/coronavirus.html

UPDATE FROM DEA: Effective March 23, 2020, the DEA Call Center has temporarily suspended phone operations due to COVID-19 health epidemic. Assistance will only be available through DEA.Registration.Help@usdoj.gov. We will respond to your emails as quickly as possible.

Please register your e-mail address using the below link to obtain up to date information concerning DEA’s response to the COVID-19 health emergency.

https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOJDEADCD/subscriber/new

Please continue to direct all policy questions concerning COVID-19 to the Policy email box at Natural.Disaster@usdoj.gov





Pharmacy-Related Guidance Resources

Texas Department of Health and Human Services (DSHS)


Texas DSHS has issued information regarding pseudoephedrine purchases during the COVID-19 disaster declaration. Read the information below and/or visit Texas DSHS's Information for Hospitals & Healthcare Professionals page and Consumer Protections Pseudoephedrine page for details:

Pseudoephedrine Purchases During COVID-19 Disaster Declaration (PDF) - April 15, 2020





Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)


The CDC has issued several considerations for pharmacies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more here:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/pharmacies.html





Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) COVID-19 Waste Disposal Guidance


Until further notice, TCEQ will exercise enforcement discretion for all pharmacies that provide COVID-19 testing and treat COVID-19 waste on-site using an approved treatment method.

These pharmacies are required to maintain records as prescribed under 30 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Sections 326.39(b) and 326.41(b). Additionally, once the medical waste is treated, it may be managed as routine municipal solid waste in accordance with 30 TAC Sections 326.39(c) and 326.41(c).

Additionally, until further notice, TCEQ will exercise enforcement discretion on the following requirements for pharmacies that provide COVID-19 testing:

• The Medical Waste Transporter registration and fee requirements in 30 TAC Sections 326.53 and 326.87; and
• The Medical Waste Mobile Treatment Unit registration and fee requirements in 30 TAC Section 326.55 and 326.87.



However, Medical Waste Transporters and Mobile Treatment Units managing medical waste from these pharmacies are still required to comply with vehicle, packaging, labeling, manifesting, and shipping requirements in 30 TAC Chapter 326, Subchapter B.

Read more: https://www.tceq.texas.gov/response/covid-19/waste-disposal-guidance





Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)


DEA - How to Prescribe Controlled Substances to Patients During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PDF) - March 31, 2020

DEA Guidance for Oral Schedule II Prescriptions: Pharmacists may fill an emergency oral schedule II prescription. The practitioner must provide the follow-up paper prescription within 15 days (rather than 7 days) and, additionally, will allow a facsimile or image (i.e., scan or photograph) of the prescription to be sent to the pharmacy in lieu of paper. Read the full statment by clicking here. - March 27, 2020

DEA Guidance for Other Pharmacy-Related Information: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Diversion Control Division has published a COVID-19 information page that contains guidance concerning COVID-19 and the national drug supply, electronic prescribing of controlled substances, telemedicine, mediated assisted treatment, and other federal and state information. See more details and future updates at the link below:

www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/coronavirus.html





Food and Drug Administration (FDA)


Coronavirus (COVID-19) | Drugs - All CDER Guidance

Compounding Activities | COVID-19 - Compounding-Related COVID-19 Guidance

Hand Sanitizers | COVID-19 - Hand Sanitizers-Related COVID-19 Guidance




COVID-19-Related Guidance Documents for Industry, FDA Staff, and Other Stakeholders - All Guidance




USP has issued an informational document to address the garb and personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read it via the link below:

USP Response to Garb and PPE Shortages in Sterile Compounding During COVID-19 - March 18, 2020




The American Medical Association, American Pharmacists Association, and American Society of Health-System Pharmacists issued a joint statement today on inappropriate ordering, prescribing or dispensing of medications to treat COVID-19. Read it via the link below:

AMA, APHA, ASHP issue joint statement about COVID-19 medications - March 25, 2020

Pharmacy Associations & Related Resources

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Diversion Control Division - https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/coronavirus.html

Texas Pharmacy Association (TPA) - www.texaspharmacy.org/page/coronavirus

Texas Society of Health-System Pharmacists (TSHP) - https://tshp.org/page/COVID19

Alliance of Independent Pharmacists of Texas (AIPT) - www.aiptexas.org/coronavirus-resources

American Pharmacists Association (APhA) - www.pharmacist.com/coronavirus

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) - www.ashp.org/Pharmacy-Practice/Resource-Centers/Coronavirus

National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) - nabp.pharmacy/coronavirus-updates/

National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) - ncpa.org/coronavirus-information

National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) - www.nacds.org/prepared/

International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) - www.fip.org/coronavirus