(a) No person other than a pharmacist, an intern pharmacist, an authorized officer of the law, or a person authorized to prescribe shall be permitted in that area, place, or premises described in the license issued by the board wherein controlled substances or dangerous drugs or dangerous devices are stored, possessed, prepared, manufactured, derived, compounded, dispensed, or repackaged. However, a pharmacist shall be responsible for any individual who enters the pharmacy for the purposes of receiving consultation from the pharmacist or performing clerical, inventory control, housekeeping, delivery, maintenance, or similar functions relating to the pharmacy if the pharmacist remains present in the pharmacy during all times as the authorized individual is present.
(b) (1) The board may, by regulation, establish reasonable security measures consistent with this section in order to prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access to the area, place, or premises or to the controlled substances or dangerous drugs or dangerous devices therein.
(2) The board shall, by regulation, establish conditions for the temporary absence of a pharmacist for breaks and lunch periods pursuant to Section 512 of the Labor Code and the orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission without closing the pharmacy and removing authorized personnel from the pharmacy. These conditions shall ensure the security of the pharmacy and its operations during the temporary absence of the pharmacist and shall allow, at the discretion of the pharmacist, nonpharmacist personnel to remain and perform any lawful activities during the pharmacist’s temporary absence.
(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 900, Sec. 4. Effective October 10, 1999.)