(a) Every pharmacy shall designate a pharmacist-in-charge and, within 30 days thereof, shall notify the board in writing of the identity and license number of that pharmacist and the date he or she was designated.

(b) The proposed pharmacist-in-charge shall be subject to approval by the board. The board shall not issue or renew a pharmacy license without identification of an approved pharmacist-in-charge for the pharmacy.

(c) The pharmacist-in-charge shall be responsible for a pharmacy’s compliance with all state and federal laws and regulations pertaining to the practice of pharmacy.

(d) Every pharmacy shall notify the board in writing, on a form designed by the board, within 30 days of the date when a pharmacist-in-charge ceases to act as the pharmacist-in-charge, and shall on the same form propose another pharmacist to take over as the pharmacist-in-charge. The proposed replacement pharmacist-in-charge shall be subject to approval by the board. If disapproved, the pharmacy shall propose another replacement within 15 days of the date of disapproval and shall continue to name proposed replacements until a pharmacist-in-charge is approved by the board.

(e) If a pharmacy is unable, in the exercise of reasonable diligence, to identify within 30 days a permanent replacement pharmacist-in-charge to propose to the board on the notification form, the pharmacy may instead provide on that form the name of any pharmacist who is an employee, officer, or administrator of the pharmacy or the entity that owns the pharmacy and who is actively involved in the management of the pharmacy on a daily basis, to act as the interim pharmacist-in-charge for a period not to exceed 120 days. The pharmacy, or the entity that owns the pharmacy, shall be prepared during normal business hours to provide a representative of the board with the name of the interim pharmacist-in-charge with documentation of the active involvement of the interim pharmacist-in-charge in the daily management of the pharmacy, and with documentation of the pharmacy’s good faith efforts prior to naming the interim pharmacist-in-charge to obtain a permanent pharmacist-in-charge. By no later than 120 days following the identification of the interim pharmacist-in-charge, the pharmacy shall propose to the board the name of a pharmacist to serve as the permanent pharmacist-in-charge. The proposed permanent pharmacist-in-charge shall be subject to approval by the board. If disapproved, the pharmacy shall propose another replacement within 15 days of the date of disapproval, and shall continue to name proposed replacements until a pharmacist-in-charge is approved by the board.

(Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 307, Sec. 39. (SB 821) Effective January 1, 2010.)