AB-1794 Pharmacy: enteral nutrition supplements or replacements

What happened

AB 1794’s retained proposal would allow a pharmacist, manufacturer or wholesaler to participate in an arrangement to deliver enteral nutrition supplements or replacements directly to a patient’s residence. It requires a valid order from a prescriber acting within scope and pharmacist services consistent with the accepted standard of care under the referenced Pharmacy Law provisions. The proposal defines the products as medical food used therapeutically to prevent serious disability or death where a medically diagnosed condition prevents full use of regular food.

The provision is distinct from the existing Section 4059 rules for dangerous drugs and devices and direct distribution to dialysis patients, which retain their own regulations, training and safeguards. The enteral-nutrition definition therefore does not cover every consumer supplement or create an unrestricted mail-order exception for drugs and devices. The proposed arrangement remains subject to the qualifying product, prescriber and pharmacy conditions. No final enactment or immediate change to a particular patient’s supply arrangement is established during this edition’s coverage.

Why it matters

Nutrition suppliers and pharmacies should distinguish the proposed medical-food arrangement from ordinary supplement sales and separate dialysis distribution rules.

Sources

• AB-1794 Pharmacy: enteral nutrition supplements or replacements, bill historyOfficial · California Legislature · 2026-08-31 · Source review 2026-09-10
• AB-1794 Pharmacy: enteral nutrition supplements or replacements, current bill text (08/27/26 - Enrolled)Official · California Legislature · 2026-08-27 · Source review 2026-09-10