Utah-Specific Practice Authorities: Immunization, Collaborative Practice, Naloxone, and Compounding
Immunization
Utah authorizes pharmacists (and, under supervision, interns) to administer immunizations under the framework in the Pharmacy Practice Act and R156-17b, subject to requirements such as protocol or prescriber authorization, training and certification, current CPR/first aid, and documentation. Doses administered must be reported to the Utah Statewide Immunization Information System (USIIS) as required. Age thresholds and vaccine-specific conditions have changed over time - verify the current statute and rule rather than relying on memory.
Collaborative practice (consult agreements)
Utah permits pharmacists to enter written consult agreements with prescribers for drug therapy management. The agreement must be written, define the scope of authority (initiating, adjusting, or discontinuing therapy, ordering labs), and be consistent with the prescriber's scope. Authority exists only within the agreement - a general "clinician" label on a question is a trap.
Naloxone and protocol-based dispensing
Utah allows pharmacists to dispense naloxone without a patient-specific prescription under statewide protocol/standing order authority, with required education of the recipient and documentation. Good Samaritan and immunity protections exist; questions often test that naloxone may be dispensed to a family member or bystander, not only the person at risk.
Compounding
Nonsterile and sterile compounding must follow USP <795>, <797>, and <800> as adopted in Utah rule, including master formulation records, beyond-use dating, environmental monitoring, and personnel training. Sterile compounding generally requires a specific permit.
Rule of thumb
Protocol authority is narrow: it authorizes a defined drug or service for a defined population, with documentation - never a general license to prescribe.