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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>58604</law_id><section_number>54.1-3223</section_number><catch_line>Regulations relating to therapeutic pharmaceutical agents</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>54.1-3303</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="54.1">Professions and Occupations</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="32">Optometry</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="5">Certification for Administration of Therapeutic Pharmaceutical Agents (TPAs)</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The <span class="dictionary">Board</span> shall promulgate such regulations governing the treatment of diseases and abnormal conditions of the human eye and its adnexa with therapeutic pharmaceutical agents by <span class="dictionary">TPA-certified optometrists</span> as are reasonable and necessary to ensure an appropriate standard of medical care for patients, including, but not limited to, determinations of the diseases and abnormal conditions of the human eye and its adnexa that may be treated by <span class="dictionary">TPA-certified optometrists</span> and treatment guidelines.
		Such regulations and amendments thereto shall be exempt from the requirements of the Administrative Process Act (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Short title; purpose" href="/2.2-4000/">2.2-4000</a> et seq.), except to any extent that they may be specifically made subject to &#xA7;&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Hearing officers" href="/2.2-4024/">2.2-4024</a>, <a class="law" title="Recovery of costs and attorney fees from agency" href="/2.2-4030/">2.2-4030</a>, and <a class="law" title="Publication of Virginia Register of Regulations; exceptions; notice of public hearings of proposed regulations" href="/2.2-4031/">2.2-4031</a>; the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>&#x2019;s regulations shall, however, comply with &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Agencies to file regulations with Registrar; other duties; failure to file" href="/2.2-4103/">2.2-4103</a> of the Virginia Register Act (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Short title; purpose of chapter; declaration of policy" href="/2.2-4100/">2.2-4100</a> et seq.). The <span class="dictionary">Board</span> shall, however, conduct a public <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> prior to making amendments to the treatment guidelines or the determinations of diseases and abnormal conditions of the eye and its adnexa that may be treated by <span class="dictionary">TPA-certified optometrists</span>. Thirty days prior to conducting such <span class="dictionary">hearing</span>, the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> shall give written notice by mail or electronic means of the date, time, and place of the <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> to all currently <span class="dictionary">TPA-certified optometrists</span> and any other persons requesting to be notified of the <span class="dictionary">hearings</span> and publish notice of its intention to <span class="dictionary">amend</span> the regulations in the Virginia Register of Regulations. During the public <span class="dictionary">hearing</span>, interested parties shall be given reasonable opportunity to be heard and present information prior to final adoption of any amendments. Proposed and final amendments shall also be published, pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Publication of Virginia Register of Regulations; exceptions; notice of public hearings of proposed regulations" href="/2.2-4031/">2.2-4031</a>, in the Virginia Register of Regulations.</p></section></text><history>1996, cc. 152, 158; 2004, c. 744; 2023, c. 268; 2025, cc. 391, 408.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
