Hawaii enacted HI S.B. 874, effective 5/29/2026, which requires a veterinarian, upon request of a client, to provide a written prescription for any medication prescribed for the client’s animal patient without requiring the medication to be dispensed directly by the veterinarian. It also requires a veterinarian to inform their client of the client’s right to request a written prescription from the veterinarian and the option to have it filled at a pharmacy of the client’s choice; this may be done via direct communication, electronic communication, or clearly posted physical signage.
It prohibits a veterinarian from issuing a written prescription without establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship, which requires a veterinarian to conduct a timely examination of the animal or to make medically appropriate visits to the premises where the animal is kept.
It allows any pharmacy, duly licensed in the state, to dispense the medication prescribed by a licensed veterinarian, provided that all state and federal certification requirements for handling and dispensing veterinary pharmaceuticals are met, and does not hold the veterinarian liable for any outside pharmacy errors or adverse effects or lack of efficacy due to sourcing drugs from an outside pharmacy.