---
title: O.C.G.A. § 31-8-305. Substitutions of drugs or biological products; limitations; recording.
collection: code
id: 31-8-305
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 31-8-305 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-8-305
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-8-305.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-8-305/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t31-(v23)-2025-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=da7ded69_0#page=595
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Session of the General Assembly of Georgia
heading_path: HEALTH / CARE AND PROTECTION OF INDIGENT AND ELDERLY PATIENTS / DRUG REPOSITORY PROGRAM
---

# O.C.G.A. § 31-8-305. Substitutions of drugs or biological products; limitations; recording.

(a) Notwithstanding Article 5 of Chapter 4 of Title 26, an eligible recipient may substitute:

(1) A prescribed drug with a therapeutically equivalent drug; or

(2) A biological product with an interchangeable biological product.

(b) Substitutions made pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section may include, but are not limited to:

(1) Splitting a combination drug into two or more drugs;

(2) Combining two or more drugs into a combination drug; and

(3) Substituting a different form of a prescribed drug, including, but not limited to, an oral tablet or capsule.

(c) If an eligible recipient dispenses or administers a substitute drug pursuant to this Code section, such substitution shall be communicated to the patient and the prescribing health care professional, unless the program’s substitution policy is readily available on the eligible recipient’s website.

(d) Whenever a substitution is made, the eligible recipient shall record on the original prescription or the patient’s prescription drug label that there has been a substitution and the identity of the dispensed drug product or interchangeable biological product.

## History

Code 1981, § 31-8-305, enacted by Ga. L. 2024, p. 347, § 2-5/HB 1072, effective April 23, 2024.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2024, p. 347, § 2-1/HB 1072, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: “The General Assembly finds:

“(1) Access to affordable medications is a public health issue that disproportionately impacts vulnerable patients, and a state’s drug repository program can serve as a solution to thousands of families for life-saving and life-preserving medications; and

“(2) Participating recipient organizations can provide a valuable community benefit to families in need by making donated medications available and will be authorized to utilize additional pharmacy technicians to distribute donated medications under the drug repository program.”

## Effective Date

This Code section became effective April 23, 2024.