Wisconsin Code § 450.13

Using drug product equivalent in dispensing prescriptions
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(1e) DEFINITION. In this section, “drug product equivalent” means a drug product that is designated the therapeutic equivalent of another drug product by the federal food and
drug administration as set forth in the latest edition of or supplement to the federal food and drug administration’s Approved
Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations.
(1s) DRUG PRODUCT OR EQUIVALENT TO BE USED. Except as
provided in sub. (2), a pharmacist shall dispense every prescription using either the drug product prescribed or its drug product
equivalent, if its drug product equivalent is lower in price to the
consumer than the drug product prescribed, and shall inform the
consumer of the options available in dispensing the prescription.
(2) EXCEPTION. A prescribing practitioner may indicate, by
writing on the face of the prescription order or, with respect to a
prescription order transmitted electronically, by designating in
electronic format the phrase “No substitutions” or words of similar meaning or the initials “N.S.”, that no substitution of the drug
product prescribed may be made under sub. (1s). If such indication is made, the pharmacist shall dispense the prescription with
the specific drug product prescribed. No preprinted statement regarding drug product substitution may appear on the face of the
prescription order.
(3) REFILLED PRESCRIPTIONS. Prescriptions dispensed with a
drug product equivalent may be refilled with a different drug
product equivalent only if the pharmacist informs the consumer
of the change.
(4) LIMITATION ON LIABILITY. A pharmacist who dispenses a
prescription with a drug product equivalent under this section assumes no greater liability than would be incurred had the pharmacist dispensed the prescription with the drug product
prescribed.
(5) USE OF DRUG PRODUCT EQUIVALENT IN HOSPITALS. Subsections (1s) to (4) do not apply to a pharmacist who dispenses a
drug product equivalent that is prescribed for a patient in a hospital if the pharmacist dispenses the drug product equivalent in accordance with written guidelines or procedures previously established by a pharmacy and therapeutics committee of the hospital
and approved by the hospital’s medical staff and use of the drug
product equivalent has been approved for a patient during the period of the patient’s stay within the hospital by any of the
following:
(a) The patient’s individual physician.
(b) The patient’s advanced practice registered nurse, if the advanced practice registered nurse may issue prescription orders
under s. 441.09 (2).
(5m) DISCLOSURES TO CONSUMERS. (a) Each pharmacy
shall post in a prominent place at or near the place where prescriptions are dispensed a sign that clearly describes a pharmacist’s ability under this state’s law to substitute a less expensive
drug product equivalent under sub. (1s) unless the consumer or
the prescribing practitioner has indicated otherwise under sub.
(2).
(b) The pharmacy examining board shall create a list of the
100 most commonly prescribed generic drug product equivalents,
including the generic and brand names of the drugs, and provide,
either directly or on the department’s Internet site, the list to each
pharmacy on an annual basis. Each pharmacy shall make available to the public information on how to access the list under this
paragraph.
(c) Each pharmacy shall have available for the public a listing
of the retail price, updated no less frequently than monthly, of the
100 most commonly prescribed prescription drugs, which includes brand name and generic equivalent drugs and biological
products and interchangeable biological products, that are available for purchase at the pharmacy.
(6) APPLICABILITY. This section does not apply with respect
to a prescription for a biological product.

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