South CarolinaSouth Carolina law permits care agreements after state rules take effect
South Carolina law lets pharmacists and physicians make care agreements for specific patients, but they cannot use them until state rules take effect.
What it does
South Carolina law lets pharmacists and physicians make written care agreements for specific patients. The care must support the physician’s treatment goals, and the physician must identify and delegate those patients.
Both state boards must issue rules for these agreements. Pharmacists and physicians may not use an agreement until those rules take effect.
Argument forThese agreements could help pharmacists and physicians coordinate medication care for specific patients while following the physician’s treatment goals.
Argument againstThe record-sharing rules may make agreements harder to use when the same records system is not practical and the professionals must arrange another secure way to share records.
More detail
South Carolina law authorizes pharmacists and physicians to make written agreements for coordinated patient care. The agreement is between a South Carolina pharmacist and physician and covers patients the physician specifically identifies and delegates to the pharmacist. The agreement must set out evidence-based medication management and related care that supports the physician’s treatment goals for patients the physician identifies and delegates. Both professionals must be licensed and in good standing in South Carolina, actively practicing, and physically located in the state. The act took effect when the Governor approved it on May 18, 2026.
The State Board of Pharmacy and the State Board of Medical Examiners must issue rules for these agreements. The duty applies to both state boards and to pharmacist-physician collaborative practice agreements. Pharmacists and physicians may not put agreements into use until the rules take effect. The act took effect upon the Governor’s approval on May 18, 2026; agreements may be used only after the rules take effect.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 5Effective date 05/18/26Latest
- Jun 2Act No. 166
- May 18Signed By Governor Henry McMasterBecame Law
- May 14Ratified R 138
- May 13Ordered enrolled for ratificationTo Governor
- May 13House recedes from amendment(s)
- May 5Non-concurrence in House amendment
- Mar 31Scrivener's error corrected
- Mar 27Read third time and returned to Senate with amendmentsPassed 2nd Chamber
- Mar 26Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative day
- Vote recorded Passage of Bill. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 26Roll call Yeas-108 Nays-0
- Mar 26Read second timeMinor
- Mar 26AmendedMajor
- Mar 25Committee report: Favorable with amendment Medical, Military, Public and Municipal AffairsMinor
- 2025
- May 8Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal AffairsMinor
- May 8Introduced and read first timeMinor
- May 7Read third time and sent to HousePassed 1st Chamber
- May 6Roll call Ayes-44 Nays-0
- Vote recorded 2nd Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- May 6Read second timeMinor
- Apr 30Committee report: Favorable Medical AffairsMinor
- Mar 13Referred to Committee on Medical AffairsMinor
- Mar 13Introduced and read first timeIntroduced
Healthcare