TN Senate OKs Sumner lawmaker's bill allowing drug compounders to bypass safeguard Haile says 'grave drug shortage' looms

The Tennessee Senate on April 4 overwhelmingly approved a measure that would allow pharmacists to compound drugs without having a prescription for a specific patient, a key safeguard that exists under current law.

The measure was approved on a 29-1 vote, without a word of dissent, after a presentation by Sen. Ferrell Haile, R-Gallatin, a retired pharmacist. Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, cast the only vote against the bill.

A House version of the bill, sponsored by Rep. David Shepard, a Dickson Democrat, has cleared the House Health Committee and was scheduled for a House floor vote Thursday. Shepard, like Haile, is a pharmacist.

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