Arizonans will be able to access some prescription refills without visits to their doctors during the coronavirus pandemic under an executive order issued Thursday by Gov. Doug Ducey that eases pharmacy regulations.

Under the order, pharmacists can dispense emergency refills of “maintenance medications” for up to two 90-day supplies. This allows Arizonans to get up to 180 days of their medication while avoiding visiting a doctor and potentially being exposed to virus germs.

“We want to make sure our seniors and vulnerable populations are staying safe and physically distancing to the greatest extent possible, while having access to needed medications,” Ducey said in a written statement. “This commonsense order will also help free up physicians to focus on providing critical medical services at this time.”

Other aspects of the order include waiving certain prescribing requirements, extending the amount of time a prescriber can deliver a pharmacy a paper prescription, allowing pharmacies to receive prescriptions by fax, scan or photo rather than hard copy and allowing Arizona pharmacies to get drugs from unpermitted wholesalers or providers from other states (if licensed in their own states) to ease medication shortages.

Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, two drugs used to treat COVID-19, can only be filled for a 14-day supply and require a COVID-19 diagnosis. Refills require a new prescription. The FDA recently issued an emergency order to allow the two drugs to be prescribed to certain hospitalized patients with COVID-19 outside of clinical trials. The 14-day limit does not apply to patients taking those drugs for non-coronavirus treatment, such as for lupus, arthritis or malaria.

Controlled substances are not considered maintenance medication under the order.

Ducey's order also temporarily removes the requirement that companies producing hand sanitizer have a permit.

Kelly Fine, the Arizona Pharmacy Association's CEO, sits on the task force organized by the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy that recommended the governor implement the measures. She said she’s “very excited” to see the order issued.

“This will help ease the burden on the health care system as a whole,” Fine said. “It’ll free up pharmacists’ time to be able to focus on the patients they’re taking care of and ensure that patients can get their medications in a timely fashion without having to make multiple trips to the pharmacy or having to try to get in contact with their doctor.”

Fine said Ducey's executive order achieves most of what the task force committee recommended. The committee, made up of pharmacy board members, pharmacy attorneys and others, will continue to meet and issue recommendations to the governor as the pandemic progresses and pharmacies’ needs change, Fine said.

The Board of Pharmacy is also able to waive certain requirements given the public health emergency order, Fine said, so some recommendations can be carried out by the board without requiring the governor’s executive order.

Reach the reporter at Alison.Steinbach@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-444-4282. Follow her on Twitter @alisteinbach.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.