HB 1881 — An Act amending the act of September 27, 1961 (P.L.1700, No.699), known as the Pharmacy Act, further providing for pharmacy technician and pharmacy technician trainee registration, qualifications and supervision; providing for administration of injectable medications, biologicals and immunizations, for clinical laboratory certificate and for report on pharmacy-administered vaccines; and making a repeal.

PRINTER'S NO.       2341

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1881
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY VENKAT, KHAN, KOSIEROWSKI, O'MARA, GUZMAN, BENHAM,
        PIELLI, McNEILL, ISAACSON, HILL-EVANS, STEELE, FRANKEL,
        HOHENSTEIN, PROBST, NEILSON, SCHLOSSBERG, OTTEN, SANCHEZ,
        K.HARRIS, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, BOROWSKI, MERSKI, HADDOCK,
        SHUSTERMAN, GREEN, SCOTT, CIRESI, WAXMAN, SCHWEYER, HANBIDGE,
        DONAHUE, HARKINS, INGLIS, MALAGARI, HOWARD AND RIVERA,
        SEPTEMBER 25, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE,
        SEPTEMBER 26, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of September 27, 1961 (P.L.1700, No.699),
 2      entitled "An act relating to the regulation of the practice
 3      of pharmacy, including the sales, use and distribution of
 4      drugs and devices at retail; and amending, revising,
 5      consolidating and repealing certain laws relating thereto,"
 6      further providing for pharmacy technician and pharmacy
 7      technician trainee registration, qualifications and
 8      supervision; providing for administration of injectable
 9      medications, biologicals and immunizations, for clinical
10      laboratory certificate and for report on pharmacy-
11      administered vaccines; and making a repeal.
12      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
13   hereby enacts as follows:
14      Section 1.    Section 3.3(a)(4) of the act of September 27,
15   1961 (P.L.1700, No.699), known as the Pharmacy Act, is amended
16   to read:
17      Section 3.3.    Pharmacy Technician and Pharmacy Technician
18   Trainee Registration, Qualifications and Supervision.--(a)      A
19   pharmacy technician shall register with the board biennially on
 1   a form prescribed by the board and pay a registration fee
 2   established by the board by regulation. An individual must
 3   possess an unrestricted registration from the board to practice
 4   as a pharmacy technician. The following shall apply:
 5      * * *
 6      (4)   An individual practicing as a pharmacy technician for at
 7   least one year of the two-year period immediately preceding the
 8   [effective date of this section] promulgation of final-form
 9   regulations by the board implementing this section shall not be
10   required to comply with clause (3)(i) or (ii), provided the
11   individual applies within one year of the promulgation of
12   regulations by the board implementing this section.
13      * * *
14      Section 2.   The act is amended by adding sections to read:
15      Section 3.5.   Administration of Injectable Medications,
16   Biologicals and Immunizations.--(a)   The board shall by
17   regulation establish education and training standards and
18   practice guidelines pursuant to which pharmacists shall be
19   authorized to administer injectable medications, biologicals and
20   immunizations to individuals eight years of age or older and
21   influenza and COVID-19 immunizations by injectable or needle-
22   free delivery methods to individuals five years of age or older.
23   The standards and guidelines shall include the following:
24      (1)   Satisfactory completion of an academic and practical
25   curriculum approved by the board that includes the current
26   guidelines and recommendations of the Centers for Disease
27   Control and Prevention in the Public Health Service of the
28   United States Department of Health and Human Services, the
29   American Council on Pharmaceutical Education or a similar health
30   authority or professional body and includes disease

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 1   epidemiology, vaccine characteristics, injection technique,
 2   emergency response to adverse events and related topics.
 3      (2)    Maintenance of a current cardiopulmonary resuscitation
 4   certificate acceptable to the board.
 5      (3)    That the administration of injectable medications,
 6   biologicals and immunizations be in accordance with one of the
 7   following:
 8      (i)    A definitive set of treatment guidelines established by
 9   a physician and consistent with the Centers for Disease Control
10   and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
11   recommendations or another competent authority approved by the
12   board.
13      (ii)    A determination by the Department of Health that both
14   of the following apply:
15      (A)    Immunization of a population or subpopulation is
16   supported by medical evidence.
17      (B)    Immunization of the population or subpopulation would
18   advance the public health by reducing the spread or severity of
19   infectious disease in this Commonwealth.
20      (4)    The Department of Health may exclude an immunization
21   from administration under this section upon determining that all
22   of the following apply:
23      (i)    Administration is no longer supported by medical
24   evidence for a population or subpopulation.
25      (ii)    Administration is no longer effective to reduce the
26   spread or severity of infectious diseases in this Commonwealth
27   and would not advance the public health.
28      (5)    In making a determination under paragraph (3) or (4),
29   the Department of Health may consider as evidence reports issued
30   by any of the following:

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 1      (i)    The American Academy of Pediatrics.
 2      (ii)    The American College of Obstetricians and
 3   Gynecologists.
 4      (iii)    The American College of Physicians.
 5      (iv)    The American Academy of Family Physicians.
 6      (v)    The Infectious Diseases Society of America.
 7      (vi)    The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
 8      (6)    After making a determination under paragraph (3)(ii) or
 9   (4), the Department of Health shall provide notice of the
10   determination and the addition or exclusion by:
11      (i)    transmitting the notice to the Legislative Reference
12   Bureau for publication in the next available issue of the
13   Pennsylvania Bulletin;
14      (ii)    posting the notice on the Department of Health's
15   publicly accessible Internet website; and
16      (iii)    electronically transmitting the notice to the
17   chairperson and minority chairperson of the Consumer Protection
18   and Professional Licensure Committee of the Senate and the
19   chairperson and minority chairperson of the Professional
20   Licensure Committee of the House of Representatives.
21      (7)    That a minimum of two hours of the thirty-hour
22   requirement for continuing education for license renewal be
23   dedicated to administering injectable medications, biologicals
24   and immunizations.
25      (8)    For individuals under eighteen years of age, that
26   parental consent be obtained prior to administration.
27      (9)    Maintenance of a level of professional liability
28   insurance coverage in the minimum amount of one million dollars
29   ($1,000,000) per occurrence or claims made. Failure to maintain
30   insurance coverage as required shall subject the licensees to

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 1   disciplinary proceedings. The board shall accept as satisfactory
 2   evidence of insurance coverage any of the following:
 3      (i)    personally purchased liability insurance;
 4      (ii)    professional liability insurance coverage provided by
 5   the individual licensee's employer; or
 6      (iii)   similar insurance coverage acceptable to the board.
 7      (10)    Notification of the individual's primary care provider,
 8   if known, within forty-eight hours of administration.
 9      (b)    Except as provided under subsection (e), a pharmacist's
10   authority to administer injectable medications, biologicals and
11   immunizations shall not be delegated to any other individual. A
12   pharmacy intern who has completed a course of education and
13   training which meets the requirements of subsection (a)(1) and
14   (2) and maintains liability insurance in the amounts specified
15   under subsection (a)(9) may administer injectable medications,
16   biologicals and immunizations, in keeping with the requirements
17   under subsection (a)(3), to individuals who are eight years of
18   age or older and influenza and COVID-19 immunizations by
19   injectable or needle-free delivery methods to individuals five
20   years of age or older only under the direct, immediate and
21   personal supervision of a pharmacist holding the authority to
22   administer injectable medications, biologicals and immunizations
23   or a physician, physician assistant or certified registered
24   nurse practitioner.
25      (c)    A supervising pharmacist shall report the administration
26   of immunizations under this section to the immunization registry
27   maintained by the Department of Health within seventy-two hours
28   of immunization administration and to the individual's primary
29   care provider in accordance with subsection (a)(10). Nothing in
30   this subsection shall be construed to prohibit a supervising

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 1   pharmacist from delegating the reporting of immunization
 2   administration to a pharmacy intern or technician.
 3      (d)   A pharmacist, pharmacy intern or pharmacist technician
 4   who administers an influenza or COVID-19 immunization to an
 5   individual under eighteen years of age shall inform the parent
 6   or adult caregiver of the importance of a well-child visit with
 7   a pediatrician or other licensed primary care provider and refer
 8   the patient as appropriate.
 9      (e)   A pharmacist who holds the authority to administer
10   injectable medications, biologicals and immunizations may
11   delegate the authority to administer:
12      (1)   Influenza and COVID-19 immunizations to a certified
13   registered nurse practitioner, physician assistant, registered
14   nurse or licensed practical nurse; or
15      (2)   COVID-19 immunizations authorized or licensed by the
16   United States Food and Drug Administration or based on a
17   determination by the Department of Health under subsection (a)
18   (3)(ii), and influenza immunizations recommended by the Advisory
19   Committee on Immunization Practices or based on a determination
20   by the Department of Health under subsection (a)(3)(ii), for
21   administration to individuals thirteen years of age or older by
22   a pharmacy technician if:
23      (i)   The pharmacy technician:
24      (A)   Until the board promulgates final regulations
25   implementing registration of pharmacy technicians, holds a
26   national certification from the Pharmacy Technician
27   Certification Board or the National Healthcareer Association; or
28      (B)   After the board promulgates final regulations
29   implementing registration of pharmacy technicians, is registered
30   with the board.

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 1      (ii)   The following conditions are met:
 2      (A)    The supervising qualified pharmacist is providing
 3   direct, immediate and personal supervision to the qualified
 4   pharmacy technician who is administering the immunizations or
 5   vaccinations.
 6      (B)    The qualified pharmacy technician has completed a
 7   practical training program that is approved by the Accreditation
 8   Council for Pharmacy Education and that includes hands-on
 9   injection technique and the recognition and treatment of
10   emergency reactions to vaccines.
11      (C)    The qualified pharmacy technician has a current
12   certificate in basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
13      (D)    The qualified pharmacy technician has obtained liability
14   insurance as required under subsection (a)(9) through the
15   qualified pharmacy technician's employer.
16      (E)    Administration of a COVID-19 immunization or influenza
17   vaccinations shall be in keeping with the requirements under
18   subsection (a)(3).
19      Section 3.6.    Clinical Laboratory Certificate.--(a)    If a
20   pharmacy holds a valid certificate of waiver issued by the
21   Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a pharmacy or
22   pharmacist may order and perform laboratory examinations and
23   procedures for COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus
24   and streptococcal infections authorized or approved by the
25   United States Food and Drug Administration under the Clinical
26   Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (Public Law 100-578,
27   102 Stat. 2903) and shall be exempt from the requirements under
28   section 3 of the act of September 26, 1951 (P.L.1539, No.389),
29   known as The Clinical Laboratory Act.
30      (b)    A pharmacist may designate the administration of a test

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 1   under subsection (a) to a pharmacy intern or pharmacy technician
 2   if the designation by the pharmacist to a pharmacy intern or
 3   pharmacy technician and the administration of the test is in
 4   keeping with nationally recognized clinical practice guidelines
 5   that have not been disapproved by the Department of Health. The
 6   Department of Health shall submit any nationally recognized
 7   clinical practice guidelines the Department of Health has
 8   disapproved to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication
 9   in the next available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
10      Section 3.7.   Report on Pharmacy-administered Vaccines.--(a)
11   The Department of Health shall, in consultation with the board,
12   report to the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Majority
13   Leader and the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the
14   House of Representatives and the Majority Leader and the
15   Minority Leader of the House of Representatives information
16   concerning pharmacist activities authorized under this act,
17   including:
18      (1)   The number of injectable medications, biologicals and
19   immunizations administered to individuals under eighteen years
20   of age broken down by age.
21      (2)   The number of injectable medications, biologicals and
22   immunizations administered to individuals under eighteen years
23   of age broken down by type of injectable medications,
24   biologicals and immunizations.
25      (3)   Subject to information being made available, an
26   assessment on whether there is a change in the number of well
27   visits for children with their primary pediatric care provider
28   attributable pharmacist services authorized under this act.
29      (4)   Beginning from the effective date of this section,
30   changes in the pharmacy immunization rates for individuals under

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 1   eighteen years of age.
 2      (b)   The Department of Health shall review data available for
 3   injectable medications, biologicals and immunizations
 4   administered by a pharmacist, pharmacy intern or technician in
 5   this Commonwealth. The Department of Health shall also review
 6   data available from other state governments which have
 7   authorized pharmacists to provide similar pharmacy services as
 8   authorized under this act.
 9      (c)   The Department of Health shall report its findings no
10   later than five years following the effective date of this
11   subsection and include recommendations for changes in the laws
12   of this Commonwealth.
13      (d)   Upon completion of the report and transmission of the
14   report under subsection (a), the Department of Health shall
15   publish the findings on the Department of Health's publicly
16   accessible Internet website.
17      Section 3.    Repeals are as follows:
18            (1)   The General Assembly declares that the repeal under
19      paragraph (2) is necessary to effectuate the addition of
20      sections 3.5, 3.6 and 3.7 of the act.
21            (2)   Chapter 10 of the act of November 21, 2016
22      (P.L.1318, No.169), known as the Pharmacy Audit Integrity and
23      Transparency Act, is repealed.
24      Section 4.    The addition of sections 3.5, 3.6 and 3.7 of the
25   act is a continuation of sections 1002, 1003 and 1004 of the act
26   of November 21, 2016 (P.L.1318, No.169), known as the Pharmacy
27   Audit Integrity and Transparency Act. Except as otherwise
28   provided in sections 3.5, 3.6 and 3.7 of the act, all activities
29   initiated under sections 1002, 1003 and 1004 of the Pharmacy
30   Audit Integrity and Transparency Act shall continue and remain

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 1   in full force and effect and may be completed under sections
 2   3.5, 3.6 and 3.7 of the act. Orders, regulations, rules and
 3   decisions which were made under sections 1002, 1003 and 1004 of
 4   the Pharmacy Audit Integrity and Transparency Act and which are
 5   in effect on the effective date of section 3(2) of this act
 6   shall remain in full force and effect until revoked, vacated or
 7   modified under sections 3.5, 3.6 and 3.7 of the act. Contracts,
 8   obligations and collective bargaining agreements entered into
 9   under sections 1002, 1003 and 1004 of the Pharmacy Audit
10   Integrity and Transparency Act are not affected nor impaired by
11   the repeal of sections 1002, 1003 and 1004 of the Pharmacy Audit
12   Integrity and Transparency Act.
13      Section 5.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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