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:
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:
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.
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:
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:
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