February 12,
2020 3672 3672 
The State Medical Board of Ohio will consider adding the following as qualifying conditions for Ohio’s Medical Marijuana Control Program:
- Anxiety
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (3 petitions)
- Cachexia
Written public comment on these conditions will be accepted February 12 – March 1, 2020. Anyone may submit their comments by emailing MedicalMarijuana@med.ohio.gov.
Petition Process
On Wednesday, February 12, 2020 the board’s Medical Marijuana Committee met and voted to reject petitions that did not meet requirements and confirmed petitions that should move forward for expert review and public comment. Later this year, the board will decide if they should be added to the list of conditions which can qualify patients to participate in Ohio’s Medical Marijuana Control Program.
During the submission period, petitions were filed electronically through the state’s website, medicalmarijuana.ohio.gov. A petition needed to include (per Ohio Administrative Code 4731-32-05):
-
The name and contact information
-
Specific disease or condition requested to be added
-
Information from experts who specialize in the study of the disease or condition
-
Relevant medical or scientific evidence
-
Consideration of whether conventional medical therapies are insufficient to treat or alleviate the disease or condition
-
Evidence supporting the use of medical marijuana to treat or alleviate the disease or condition and other types of medical or scientific documentation
-
Letters of support provided by physicians
The medical board received 27 petitions from November 1- December 31, 2019.
12 petitions failed to meet the statutory and rule requirements for consideration by the board. These petitions were rejected by the committee.
6 petitions failed to meet the statutory and rule requirements for consideration by the board. However, these petitions either explicitly petitioned for a condition already covered (e.g., fibromyalgia), or the petition was for a condition closely associated with a condition already covered (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis and chronic pain). These petitions were rejected by the committee.
The petition for cachexia will move forward for expert review as the committee felt it met the requirements and was not previously considered.
Petitions for anxiety, autism, depression, insomnia and opioid use disorder were rejected by the board in 2019. During their deliberation on February 12, 2020, the committee agreed that the petitions for anxiety and autism met the requirements of new scientific information outlined in Ohio Administrative Code 4731-32-05. The petitions for depression, insomnia and opioid use disorder did not contain supporting documents needed according to the rule.
Next Steps
Petitions which do meet the requirements will proceed and be reviewed by subject matter experts. These experts may include physicians who specialize in the named conditions, experts who have experience with medical marijuana programs in other states, etc. Petitions for the same condition will be combined for the reviews.
The committee reviews the subject matter experts’ reports, and then makes a recommendation to the full board for a vote to adopt/deny the petition to add the qualifying conditions. That full board vote is expected this summer.
The medical board’s rules (Ohio Administrative Code) for the qualifying conditions can be found here: http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/4731-32-05.
The next condition petition window will be November 1 – December 31, 2020.
February 8,
2020 2596 2596
The February 2020 issue of the Medical Board's eNews is available. Articles include:
- Reporting requirement for 2019 novel coronaVirus
- communication disability database informs law enforcement during traffic stops
- accepting applications for advisory council seats
- free DEA DATA 2000 waiver training
- board seeks subject matter experts
- Ohio physician loan repayment program
- 2020 J-1 waiver program application cycle open
- holiday office closure on February 17
Click here to read the issue
February 7,
2020 2576 2576
Comment deadline is February 11, 2020
The State Medical Board of Ohio seeks public input on proposed rules several times during the rule-making process. Public input is sought after the Medical Board has conducted its initial review of rules, after rules are filed with the Common Sense Initiative Office, and at the public hearing that occurs after the rules are formally filed with the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review.
The Medical Board’s initial review of rules may result in a proposal to amend current rules, rescind current rules, make no changes to current rules, and/or adopt new rules. Comments received will be reviewed and possibly result in changes to the initially proposed language before the rules are then filed with the Common Sense Initiative Office.
Deadline for submitting comments: February 11, 2020
Comments to: Kimberly Anderson, Chief Legal Counsel, State Medical Board of Ohio
January 29,
2020 5021 5021
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has issued an alert regarding the novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) disease. Coronavirus was declared a Class A reportable infectious disease on January 23. Health care providers are required to report confirmed or suspected cases of nCoV immediately to the local health district (LHD) where the person lives (or the LHD where the person is being evaluated if the person’s residence is unknown or not in Ohio). Required reporters include:
-
physicians providing care
-
administrators in charge of hospitals, clinics or other institutions providing care or treatment, laboratory administrators
-
any individual having knowledge of a person with nCoV.
There are currently no known cases in Ohio.
ODH and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are closely monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus (termed “2019-nCoV”) first identified in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China in December 2019 and which continues to expand.
-
On January 21, 2020, the United States announced the first infection with 2019-nCoV detected in a traveler returning from Wuhan. As of January 23, 2020, Chinese health officials have reported hundreds of infections with 2019-nCoV in China, including outside of Hubei Province. Human infections with 2019-nCoV have been confirmed in Taiwan, Thailand, Japan and South Korea.
-
More cases are likely to be identified in the coming days, including possibly more cases in the United States. Increased travel to and from China is expected due to the Lunar New Year which begins on January 25, 2020. CDC has issued a Level 3 travel health notice for Wuhan City.
-
Limited information is available to characterize the spectrum of clinical illness associated with 2019-nCoV. No vaccine or specific treatment for 2019-nCoV infection is available; care is supportive.
-
-
Health care providers should obtain a detailed travel history for patients being evaluated with fever and acute respiratory illness. Collection and testing of lower respiratory, upper respiratory and serum specimens for PUIs is recommended.
-
For suspected cases of 2019-nCoV, health care providers or any individual having knowledge, should immediately notify both infection control personnel at their health care facility and their local health department. Read the Director’s Journal Entry from ODH.
-
LHDs who are notified of suspected cases of 2019-nCoV should notify ODH immediately via the 24/7 Class A disease reporting line.
-
ODH is requesting that this alert be distributed to all health care providers in your jurisdiction.
-
CDC guidance on clinical specimen collection and testing as well as additional resources for health care providers are included.
Background
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing illness in people and others that circulate among animals. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can evolve and infect people and then spread between people such as has been seen with MERS and SARS. When person-to-person spread has occurred with SARS and MERS, it is thought to have happened via respiratory droplets. Investigations are ongoing to learn more about 2019-nCoV, but some degree of person-to-person spread of 2019-nCoV is occurring. Please note that 2019-nCoV is a new coronavirus, and different from other common human coronaviruses (e.g., types OC43, 229E, HKU1, NL63).
Chinese health officials have reported hundreds of infections with 2019-nCoV in China, including outside of Hubei Province. Human infections with 2019-nCoV have been confirmed in Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, and South Korea. On January 21, 2020, the United States announced the first infection with 2019-nCoV detected in a traveler returning from Wuhan. More cases are likely to be identified in the coming days, including possibly more cases in the United States. The United States is actively screening incoming travelers from Wuhan.
Interim Guidance for Health Care Professionals
Limited information is available to characterize the spectrum of clinical illness associated with 2019-nCoV. Patients with confirmed 2019-nCoV infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath. CDC believes that symptoms of 2019-nCoV may appear in as little as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure.
No vaccine or specific treatment for 2019-nCoV infection is available; care is supportive. The CDC clinical criteria for a 2019-nCoV PUI have been developed based on what is known about MERS and SARS and are subject to change as additional information becomes available. The criteria are intended to serve as guidance for evaluation. Patients should be evaluated and discussed with public health departments on a case-by-case basis if their clinical presentation or exposure history is equivocal (e.g., uncertain travel or exposure). Health care providers should:
-
Obtain a detailed travel history for patients being evaluated with fever and acute respiratory illness. Patients in the United States who meet the attached criteria for a PUI should be evaluated as a PUI in association with the outbreak of 2019-nCoV.
-
Notify infection control personnel at their health care facility and contact their local health department immediately to notify them of patients with fever and lower respiratory illness who traveled to Wuhan, China within 14 days of symptom onset. Local and state public health staff will determine if the patient meets the criteria for a PUI for 2019-nCoV.
-
Collect clinical specimens for routine testing of respiratory pathogens at either clinical or public health labs. For PUIs, collection of three specimen types, lower respiratory, upper respiratory and serum specimens is recommended; these specimens can be sent to the ODH Public Health Laboratory for testing at CDC. Please see guidance for specimen collection and testing below.
Recommendations for Reporting
-
Health care providers should notify infection control personnel at their health care facility and contact their local/state health department immediately to notify them of patients with fever and lower respiratory illness who traveled to Wuhan, China within 14 days of symptom onset. Local and state public health staff will determine if the patient meets the criteria for a PUI for 2019-nCoV.
-
Local health departments should notify the Ohio Department of Health immediately via the 24/7 Class A disease reporting line.
Recommendations for Specimen Collection and Testing
To increase the likelihood of detecting 2019-nCoV infection, collect three specimen types, lower respiratory, upper respiratory and serum specimens. If available, additional specimen types (e.g., stool, urine) should be collected and stored until a decision is made by CDC whether these specimens should be tested. Specimens should be collected as soon as possible once a PUI is identified regardless of symptom onset. Click for detailed guidance for collecting, handling, and testing clinical specimens from PUIs.
-
-
At this time, diagnostic testing for 2019-nCoV can be conducted only at CDC. Please contact your local health department or ODH to obtain pre-approval and shipping information.
Infection Control for Health Care Facilities
CDC currently recommends a cautious approach to PUIs for 2019-nCoV. PUIs should be asked to wear a surgical mask as soon as they are identified and be evaluated in a private room with the door closed, ideally an airborne infection isolation room if available. Health care personnel entering the room should use standard, contact, droplet, and airborne precautions. Please note that any facility capable of managing patients with Mycobacterium tuberculosis or measles can safely manage patients infected with 2019-nCoV following the above infection control recommendations. At this time, there is no recommendation for patient transfer to a special pathogen treatment center. CDC’s general guidelines for isolation precautions can be found here.
Interim Guidance for Preventing 2019-nCoV from Spreading to Others in Homes and Communities
Based on public health and medical evaluation, some people who are confirmed to have, or being evaluated for, 2019-nCoV infection and do not require hospitalization for medical reasons may be cared for at home. Prior to a health care facility releasing a person to home care, the following steps should be taken:
-
Assess the suitability of the residential setting for home care.
-
Provide CDC’s interim guidance for preventing 2019-nCoV from spreading to others in homes and communities to the person confirmed to have, or being evaluated for, 2019-nCoV infection, and to the caregiver and household members.
-
Contact the state or local health department to discuss criteria for discontinuing home isolation.
ODH and LHD Response
LHDs who are notified of suspected cases of 2019-nCoV should notify ODH immediately via the 24/7 Class A disease reporting line.
-
Local and state public health staff will determine if the patient meets the criteria for a PUI for 2019-nCoV.
-
Local and state public health staff will work with health care providers to complete a 2019-nCoV PUI form.
Contact
Immediately report all suspected cases of 2019-nCoV to the local health department in the jurisdiction in which the case resides. To locate a local health department, click here.
For general questions related to 2019-nCoV, health care providers and facilities should contact their local health department. Ohio local health departments should contact the ODH Bureau of Infectious Diseases at 614-995-5599.
January 29,
2020 3072 3072
Individuals with a medically diagnosed communication disability are able to voluntarily enroll in a database to inform law enforcement of their challenge communicating. Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) and the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS), recently released an awareness video explaining how to enroll in the database.
As part of the enrollment process, physicians, psychiatrists and psychologists may be asked to complete the Communication Disability Verification Form for their patients. Although the patient may bring the form to their appointment, the State Medical Board of Ohio would also like to make this form available to providers. Click here to download the form.
The verification form was created as part of House Bill 115, which aims to avoid a situation that could become harmful to an individual with a communication disability or an officer. Once a verified form is submitted to the Department of Public Safety, the information will be used to create a notice within the Law Enforcement Automated Data System (LEADS) which is used to lookup license plate, driver and vehicle information. The law enforcement officer is then informed that the driver or a person in the vehicle may have difficulty communicating and can approach the vehicle with awareness.
January 23,
2020 3231 3231
The State Medical Board of Ohio is pleased to announce that it is accepting applications for a licensed dietitian council member seat on the Dietetics Advisory Council. The board appoints the Dietetics Advisory Council to advise the board on issues relating to the practice of dietetics.
The statutory requirement for this seat is that the council member be licensed under Chapter 4759 of the Ohio Revised Code and actively engaged in the practice of dietetics.
The Dietetics Advisory Council shall meet at least four times each year. The council member seat appointment will be for a 3-year term. The appointment will require attendance at quarterly meetings which generally run for 1-2 hours each quarter in Columbus. Members of the council are reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses associated with travel to Columbus for the meetings.
At council meetings, members of the council discuss issues relating to the practice of dietetics in Ohio, and the council may submit recommendations to the Medical Board in the following areas:
(1) Requirements for issuing a license to practice as a dietitian or as a limited permit holder, including the educational and experience requirements that must be met to receive the license or permit;
(2) Existing and proposed rules pertaining to the practice of dietetics and the administration and enforcement of this chapter;
(3) Standards for the approval of educational programs required to qualify for licensure and continuing education programs for licensure renewal;
(4) Policies related to the issuance and renewal of licenses and limited permits;
(5) Fees for the issuance and renewal of a license to practice dietetics as a licensee or as a limited permit holder;
(6) Standards of practice and ethical conduct in the practice of dietetics; and
(7) The safe and effective practice of dietetics, including scope of practice and minimal standards of care.
If you are interested in serving as a council member, please submit an application by email to Donald.Davis@med.ohio.gov by February 11, 2020.
January 23,
2020 3344 3344
The State Medical Board of Ohio is pleased to announce that it is accepting applications for a licensed respiratory care professional council member on the Respiratory Care Advisory Council. The board appoints the Respiratory Care Advisory Council to advise the board on issues relating to the practice of respiratory care.
The statutory requirement for this seat is that the council member be licensed in respiratory care under Chapter 4761 of the Ohio Revised Code and actively engaged in the practice of respiratory care.
The Respiratory Care Advisory Council shall meet at least four times each year. The council member seat appointment will be for a 3-year term. The appointment will require attendance at quarterly meetings which generally run for 1-2 hours each quarter in Columbus. Members of the council are reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses associated with travel to Columbus for the meetings.
At council meetings, members of the council discuss issues relating to the practice of respiratory care in Ohio, and the council may submit recommendations to the Medical Board in the following areas:
(1) Requirements for issuing a license to practice as a respiratory care professional or as a limited permit holder, including the educational and experience requirements that must be met to receive the license or permit;
(2) Existing and proposed rules pertaining to the practice of respiratory care and the administration and enforcement of this chapter;
(3) Standards for the approval of educational programs required to qualify for licensure and continuing education programs for licensure renewal;
(4) Policies related to the issuance and renewal of licenses and limited permits;
(5) Fees for the issuance and renewal of a license to practice respiratory care as a licensee or as a limited permit holder;
(6) Standards of practice and ethical conduct in the practice of respiratory care;
(7) The safe and effective practice of respiratory care, including scope of practice and minimal standards of care.
If you are interested in serving as a council member, please submit an application by email to Donald.Davis@med.ohio.gov by February 11, 2020.
January 23,
2020 3033 3033
The State Medical Board of Ohio is pleased to announce that it is accepting applications to fill the consumer seat on the Dietetics Advisory Council. The board appoints the Dietetics Advisory Council to advise the board on issues relating to the practice of dietetics.
The statutory requirement for that seat is that the consumer member not be affiliated with any health care profession. The consumer member shall be appointed to represent the interest of the consumers.
The Dietetics Advisory Council shall meet at least four times each year. The consumer member seat appointment will be for a 3-year term. The appointment will require attendance at quarterly meetings which generally run for 1-2 hours each quarter in Columbus. Members of the council are reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses associated with travel to Columbus for the meetings.
At council meetings, members of the council discuss issues relating to the practice of dietetics in Ohio, and the council may submit recommendations to the Medical Board in the following areas:
(1) Requirements for issuing a license to practice as a dietetics professional or as a limited permit holder, including the educational and experience requirements that must be met to receive the license or permit;
(2) Existing and proposed rules pertaining to the practice of dietetics and the administration and enforcement of this chapter;
(3) Standards for the approval of educational programs required to qualify for licensure and continuing education programs for licensure renewal;
(4) Policies related to the issuance and renewal of licenses and limited permits;
(5) Fees for the issuance and renewal of a license to practice dietetics as a licensee or as a limited permit holder;
(6) Standards of practice and ethical conduct in the practice of dietetics;
(7) The safe and effective practice of dietetics, including scope of practice and minimal standards of care.
If you are interested in serving as the consumer member of the council, please submit an application by email to Donald.Davis@med.ohio.gov by February 11, 2020.
January 13,
2020 4019 4019
The January 2020 issue of the Medical Board's eNews is available. Highlights:
-
Reminder to All Licensees Regarding Extortion Scam
-
Medical Board Officers for 2020
-
DEA DATA 2000 Waiver Trainings
-
2020 J-1 Waiver Program Application Cycle Now Open
-
Medical Board Seeks to Contract with Victim Coordinators
-
Board Seeks Subject Matter Experts
-
Ohio Physician Loan Repayment Program
-
Holiday Office Closure
Click here to read the issue.
January 7,
2020 6333 6333
The Medical Board received 28 petitions for potential new qualifying conditions during the 2019 petition window. Medical Board’s Medical Marijuana Committee is anticipated to meet February 12. At that meeting, the committee will decide which petitions will be considered. A final vote on new qualifying conditions is expected this summer.
Condition names as listed by the petitioners:
1. Anxiety
2. Anxiety
3. Anxiety, Depression
4. Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar Disorder
5. Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Arthritis
6. Asperger’s Disorder
7. Autism Spectrum Disorder
8. Autism Spectrum Disorder
9. Autism Spectrum Disorder
10. Bengals/Browns Fans
11. Cachexia/Wasting Syndrome
12. Chronic Back Chronic Hip
13. Depression
14. Diabetes, Hypoglycemia, Hyperglycemia, Concussions
15. Epstein-Barr
16. Gastroesophageal reflux disease
17. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
18. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
19. HIV/AIDS, Parkinson's
20. Insomnia
21. Lupus
22. Opioid Use Disorder
23. Opioid Use Disorder
24. Panic Attack and Anxiety
25. PTSD, Depression, Anxiety
26. Severe Social Anxiety
27. Stage 4 Breast Lung Lymph Nodes Cancer
28. Traumatic Brain Injury, Chronic Pain
During the submission period (November 1, 2019- December 31, 2019), petitions were filed electronically through the state’s website, medicalmarijuana.ohio.gov. A petition needed to include (per Ohio Administrative Code 4731-32-05):
• The name and contact information
• Specific disease or condition requested to be added
• Information from experts who specialize in the study of the disease or condition
• Relevant medical or scientific evidence
• Consideration of whether conventional medical therapies are insufficient to treat or alleviate the disease or condition
• Evidence supporting the use of medical marijuana to treat or alleviate the disease or condition and other types of medical or scientific documentation
• Letters of support provided by physicians
Petitions which do meet the requirements will proceed and be reviewed by subject matter experts. These experts may include physicians who specialize in the named conditions, experts who have experience with medical marijuana programs in other states, etc. Petitions for the same condition will be combined for the reviews. Any petition for a condition that has been previously reviewed by the board and rejected will not be considered by the board unless new scientific research that supports the request is offered.
In the following months, the committee reviews the subject matter experts’ reports, and then makes a recommendation to the full board for a vote to adopt/deny the petition to add the qualifying conditions. That full board vote will occur in Summer 2020.
The Medical Board’s rules (Ohio Administrative Code) for the qualifying conditions can be found here: http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/4731-32-05.
The next condition petition window will be Nov. 1 – Dec. 31, 2020.