Patients need timely, convenient access to care for common health conditions. Pharmacists are highly trained, trusted, and accessible healthcare providers who can help expand testing and treatment options in communities across the country.
Pharmacist test-and-treat policies help patients receive testing, assessment, treatment when appropriate, and referrals when additional care is needed — all through convenient community pharmacy settings.
Expanding pharmacist test-and-treat authority is a practical, widely supported solution to help meet today’s healthcare access challenges.
Pharmacist test-and-treat policies allow pharmacists to provide testing and initiate treatment, when appropriate under state law, for certain common health conditions. Pharmacists may also refer patients to another healthcare provider when additional evaluation or care is needed.
Depending on state law, test-and-treat services may support conditions such as influenza (flu), strep throat, COVID-19, RSV, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and other common or minor illnesses.
| Year | State | Authority Granted |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Idaho | Authority to prescribe treatments based on CLIA-waived diagnostic tests |
| 2021 | Arkansas | Authority to treat conditions identified by CLIA-waived tests |
| 2021 | Colorado | Authority to prescribe treatments guided by CLIA-waived diagnostic tests |
| 2022 | Alaska | Authority to prescribe for minor conditions diagnosable with CLIA-waived tests |
| 2022 | Delaware | Authority to order, test, screen, and treat for flu, strep, COVID, and other respiratory illness |
| 2022 | Florida | Authority to prescribe for flu, strep, and other respiratory conditions |
| 2022 | Kansas | Authority to initiate treatments for flu, strep, and COVID-19 |
| 2022 | Kentucky | Authority to test and treat for flu, strep, and COVID-19 |
| 2023 | Michigan | Authority to test for COVID, flu, and other respiratory infections and prescribe treatments for COVID and flu |
| 2023 | Montana | Authority to prescribe for minor conditions diagnosable with CLIA-waived tests |
| 2023 | New Mexico | Authority to test and treat for flu, strep, COVID-19, and other conditions |
| 2023 | Virginia | Authority to test and treat for strep, flu, and COVID-19 |
| 2024 | Illinois | Authority to test and treat for flu, strep, COVID-19, RSV, and other respiratory conditions |
| 2024 | Iowa | Authority to test and treat for any condition within the pharmacist standard of care |
| 2024 | Tennessee | Authority to test and treat for flu and COVID-19 upon positive CLIA-waived tests |
| 2025 | North Carolina | Authority to test and treat for influenza |
| 2025 | Oregon | Permanent authority to test and treat for COVID-19 |
| 2025 | West Virginia | Authority to test and treat for influenza, COVID-19, and RSV |
| 2026 | Arizona | Authority to test and treat for flu, strep, COVID-19, and HIV, including PEP/PrEP |
| 2026 | Colorado | Authority to test and treat for flu, COVID-19, strep, and RSV, with authority to delegate testing to technicians and payment parity for these services in Medicaid and the commercial market |
| 2026 | Georgia | Authority to test and treat for HIV PEP/PrEP, including administration of a long-acting injectable for PrEP |
| 2026 | Michigan | Authority to test and treat for common conditions, paired with Medicaid/CHIP payment for test-and-treat services |
| 2026 | New Jersey | Authority to test and treat for HIV PEP/PrEP via standing order, paired with Medicaid and commercial market payment for these services |
| 2026 | North Dakota | Authority to test and treat for flu, strep, and COVID-19; prescribe antivirals to exposed patients; closes care gaps for PEP and other urgent conditions |
| 2026 | Rhode Island | Authority to perform any CLIA-waived test, expanding the diagnostic base needed for test-and-treat services |
| 2026 | Vermont | Authority to test and treat for COVID-19, flu, strep, and HIV, including PEP/PrEP |
Timely access to care remains a challenge for many communities due to provider shortages, transportation barriers, and long wait times. Pharmacist test-and-treat services can help:
To timely care for common conditions.
In rural and underserved communities.
Through trusted neighborhood pharmacies.
In getting treatment when it is needed.
For better health outcomes.
Reducing reliance on more expensive care settings.
Research shows strong public support for expanding pharmacist-provided testing and treatment services and increasing access to timely care.
of most U.S. adults support pharmacists conducting tests and providing treatment for common illnesses.
of most U.S. adults support insurers paying pharmacists for testing and initiating treatment.
support pharmacist testing and treatment for flu; 75% for strep throat; 73% for UTIs; and 73% for COVID-19.
Nationwide poll conducted by Morning Consult and commissioned by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores from October 25–30, 2023, among 10,031 adults. Full survey margin of error: plus or minus 1 percentage point.