State Government Realignment FAQ

Q: What is the Board of Pharmacy’s (BOP) timeline for full rule review of 657 Iowa Administrative Code (IAC)? 

A: According to the Iowa Department of Management’s website, the agency review due date for 657 IAC is December 31, 2024.
 

Q: Will Compliance Officers from other boards be responsible for pharmacy inspections?  

A: Compliance officers from the Board of Pharmacy will continue to conduct pharmacy inspections. However, in an effort to reach DIAL’s goal to modernize, standardize and simplify processes, DIAL has indicated compliance officers and investigators will be cross-trained to support the work of the division of licensing, as needed.
 

Q: Can I call the BOP or my compliance officer to ask for guidance/advice? 

A: Board of Pharmacy staff, including compliance officers, may not provide guidance that may be construed as legal advice or speaking on behalf of the Board as a whole. Staff may assist licensees and registrants by identifying where in Iowa Code or Iowa Administrative Code language might exist in response to a direct question. IPA serves as a resource on regulatory and legislative questions. For the most up-to-date changes to pharmacy law and regulation, subscribe to IPA’s Law and Information Resource Center (LIRC). 
 

Q: Will pharmacy inspections increase, decrease, or stay the same as a result of the state government realignment changes?  

A: No changes to the Investigations/Inspections work plan as it relates to conducting routine inspections or investigations is expected as a result of realignment changes. 
 

Q: When will a new Executive Director of the BOP be hired? 

A: The current Interim Executive Director of the Iowa Board of Pharmacy is Jill Stuecker. Jill serves as the Licensing Division Administrator at the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, & Licensing. Staffing decisions for the Board of Pharmacy are at the discretion of the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL); therefore, the timeline for a permanent Executive Director position is unknown. 
 

Q: Will the new Board of Pharmacy Executive Director be a pharmacist?  

A: The new Executive Director of the Iowa Board of Pharmacy is unknown as staffing decisions are at the discretion of the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL).
 

Q: What did the Iowa Boards and Commissions (B&C) Review Committee recommend for the Iowa Board of Pharmacy? 

A: The B&C Review Committee recommended several changes relating to the Board of Pharmacy, including uniform CE requirements, staffing guidance and elimination of the requirement relating to full-time staff or executive directors having professional backgrounds, removal of lobbying authority by the “big four” health boards (including Pharmacy), decreasing the number of members on the Board of Pharmacy to five, and other changes.  

More on the recommended changes can be found here: First, the Committee recommends uniform continuing education requirements. The Recommendations state, “Boards should not be required to establish continuing education if there is not a substantiated benefit to public health and safety…” CE is compared to a tax, and, “[l]ike all taxes, this should be set by the Iowa legislature and narrowly tailored to allow working Iowans to keep their own money…” Second, the Committee recommends changing DIAL staffing requirements, stating, “Some licensing boards require specific professional backgrounds for full-time staff or executive directors… Those requirements should be eliminated, and all licensing boards and commissions should be staffed by the Department with access to subject-matter experts. Staffing the boards should be the primary responsibility of the Department.” Third, Board of Pharmacy lobbying activities will be under the authority of DIAL. “Currently, DIAL proposes legislation on behalf of most licensing boards. And this makes sense—boards should exist to license, test, discipline, and otherwise regulate licensed professionals. However, the boards of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Dentistry—the ‘Big Four’—currently have authority to lobby legislative proposals. The Department should assume those responsibilities.” Fourth, specific to the Board of Pharmacy, the recommendations provide, that in addition to making the Prescription Monitoring Program Advisory Council a standing subcommittee of the Board, the Board’s membership should be reduced by removing one licensed pharmacist and one public member. For reference, the Committee recommends reducing the Board of Medicine from 10 to 7 members. Lastly, the Prescription Monitoring Program Advisory Council, “should become a standing subcommittee of the Board of Pharmacy. The Council’s membership should be decreased to no more than five members, which should all be prescribing professionals designated from the boards of pharmacy, medicine, nursing, and the proposed new board focusing on mental health.” 
 

Q: Are the Iowa Boards and Commissions (B&C) Review Committee’s Final Recommendations to the Iowa Legislature binding? 

A: No. The Iowa Boards and Commissions (B&C) Review Committee’s Final Recommendations require legislative action to be effective. The recommendations are not currently in effect. 
 

Q: There were quite a few residents this year that had a difficult time getting their approval to take their licensing exams, which in turn delayed their ability to start their residency. While talking about reorganizing the licensing process has there been consideration given to pharmacy residency programs and their residents?  

A: Yes. IPA provided recommendations for the Board of Pharmacy’s consideration as it relates to the application for verification of the educational component which seeks to streamline the application process.  
 

Q: What happened to the board for dietitians?  

A: The Boards and Commissions Review Committee recommends eliminating the Board of Dietetics along with 11 other boards, including alternates for the Board of Pharmacy. The final recommendations for Alternate Board of Pharmacy members states, “The Board of Pharmacy does not use alternates and there is no need for this Board.” Recommendations in the B&C Review Committee report are not binding and require legislation to be enacted. 
 

Q: Why can’t I find the Board of Pharmacy’s website? 

A: Board of Pharmacy information is now housed under the Department of Inspections, Appeals, & Licensing’s (DIAL) website. Some webpages are currently inactive while DIAL’s website undergoes changes to bring various departments under its purview. When the information is available, IPA expects it to be found here.  
 

Q: Where can I find the statewide protocols? 

A: Information is still being uploaded to the Board of Pharmacy section of the DIAL website. When the statewide protocols become available, IPA expects it to be available here. IPA’s Law & Information Resource Center (LIRC) also contains links to access Iowa’s approved statewide protocols.