(a) The PEFC maintains and updates the HHSC Psychiatric Drug Formulary by:
  (1) recommending standards of drug use that discourage unnecessary duplication of therapeutic alternatives and encourage the highest standards of medical and pharmacy practice;
  (2) periodically reviewing the drugs listed in the formulary to ensure consistency with need, effectiveness, risk, and cost;
  (3) consulting with experts in clinical pharmacy, pharmacology, and other medical specialties as necessary to objectively assess drugs under consideration; and
  (4) considering the applications submitted in accordance with §306.357 of this subchapter (relating to Adding a Drug to the HHSC Psychiatric Drug Formulary) or as:
    (A) presented by committee members; or
    (B) submitted by other qualified persons at the invitation of the PEFC chairperson.
(b) The PEFC may make other recommendations concerning drug use and policy.
(c) Approval of a drug entity for inclusion in the HHSC Psychiatric Drug Formulary does not imply approval of all formulations for that drug. The PEFC designates the formulations that are allowed for general use by service system components and their contractors.
(d) Approval of a drug formulation constitutes approval of all brands of the product that have been proven to be bioequivalent as listed in the then-current Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations, published by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
(e) For a drug entity that has known bioequivalency problems, the PEFC may limit its use to a specific brand based on objective clinical pharmacokinetic data.

Source Note: The provisions of this §306.356 adopted to be effective February 24, 2021, 46 TexReg 1246