The Current Cause
Medication Access
The History
Since 1999, licensed professional midwives have been ordering the medications listed in their formulary in statute in Minn. Stat 147D. These medications have been obtained and administered by midwives for over 20 years. Licensed by the Board of Medical Practice as autonomous healthcare providers, midwives are trained, skilled, and competent in the use of the medications in their formulary.
The Issue
Recently, after midwives have been purchasing medications in their formulary for over 20 years, first one and then various suppliers have begun refusing to sell these medications to midwives, making it impossible for midwives to obtain essential life-saving medications within their scope of practice, resulting in a danger to their clients. This development has revealed the need to modify existing Statute 147D to allow midwives to 'obtain and administer' medications in their formulary to align with the original intent of the law and with common statutory language and practice in other states that license midwives.
The Solution
The midwives are working with the legislature to ensure that any barriers to licensed traditional midwives obtaining life-saving medications listed in their formulary are removed and that their ability to directly obtain these medications, without delay, is ensured.
A simple change is needed to clarify the ability of traditional midwives to directly obtain the medications listed in the midwife formulary. This would neither change the medications that can be obtained nor classify midwives as prescribers. Rather, it would affirm the original intention of the statute to allow midwives to obtain the formulary's medications necessary to quality healthcare delivery.
The Action Needed
As the midwives work to move correction through the legislature they are in need of funds to cover the costs of this work. Please consider donating via the MN NACPM Paypal to fund this work!