Maine Gov. Signs Law Allowing Midwives Access To Certain Medications

Main Category: Nursing / Midwifery
Also Included In: Pharmacy / Pharmacist;  Pregnancy / Obstetrics;  Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 29 Apr 2008 - 7:00 PST

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Maine Gov. John Baldacci (D) on Wednesday signed into law a bill (LD 2253) that gives state pharmacists the authority to provide certified professional midwives with certain medications for pregnant women and infants for administration during home births, the Bangor Daily News reports. The medications noted in the legislation include drugs that induce labor, injectable vitamin K to control bleeding, antibiotic eye drops for infants, numbing agents to reduce discomfort when repairing skin tears after delivery, and oxygen (Haskell, Bangor Daily News, 4/23). The law does not affect certified nurse-midwives in the state, all of whom have authority to prescribe, administer, distribute and dispense a broad range of drugs and medical devices, including certain controlled substances (Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 2/25).

According to the Daily News, midwives typically have obtained such medications from "friendly doctors," who write prescriptions for them or through other means. The new law aims to give midwives the option of purchasing the drugs independently (Haskell, Bangor Daily News, 4/24). Midwives in the state have supported a licensing system because it would give them more legitimacy in the medical field and allow them to legally carry and administer a limited number of medicines and oxygen (Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 2/25).

However, some pharmacists have expressed concern about the legality and ethics of directly providing medications to midwives. Baldacci has directed Anne Head, acting commissioner of the state Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, to develop new rules that would ensure that "significant and meaningful safeguards" are developed to permit pharmacists to "legally and responsibly dispense to certified midwives." According to the Daily News, Baldacci's directive aims to create a process for verifying midwives' credentials, a system of recording and reporting what drugs are sold to midwives, and a process for midwives to report when they administer the drugs to their patients. In addition, Baldacci requested that Head create an advisory group to help develop the new rules and to seek guidance from the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. A report to the governor on any recommendations for improving the system is due by Nov. 15, 2009 (Bangor Daily News, 4/23).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

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