The Utah Department of Health issued an RFP on October 25, 2019 for businesses to operate 14 licensed medical pharmacies. Eight (8) of the pharmacies will open by March 1, 2020. The state regulator will accept applications until December 2, 2019.
Utah’s Center for Medical Cannabis published a fact sheet for medical cannabis pharmacy applicants, which outlines the state’s scoring criteria. The department will be evaluating applicants based on experience, the operating plan, local connections, ability to keep costs low and the overall strategic plan.
Utah’s legislature changed the structure of the medical cannabis program drastically through the enactment of S.B. 1002. The amendments removed the state central fill medical cannabis pharmacy, which would have required medical cannabis pharmacies to deliver medical cannabis products to a state health department for pick-up by patients. The legislation also increased the number of authorized pharmacies from 7 to 14; approved home delivery by medical cannabis pharmacies; and authorized delivery licenses by July 1, 2020.
Under the existing medical cannabis program, each medical cannabis pharmacy must employ a state-licensed pharmacist and a state-licensed physician who are registered Pharmacy Medical Providers. Pharmacies must provide patients with a phone number to reach the Pharmacy Medical Provider with questions about dosing recommendations and other drug-related issues.
The state has been gearing up for the opening of medical cannabis pharmacies by issuing RFPs for cultivators and processors. Utah received 81 applications for medical cannabis cultivators. Utah awarded only eight (8) out of ten (10) available licenses in order to avoid the overproduction of cannabis in the state. Utah’s regulators stated that half of the following awardees currently have businesses in the state while the other half have ties to local communities.
Dragonfly Greenhouse
Harvest of Utah
Oakbridge Greenhouses
Standard Wellness Utah
True North of Utah
Tryke Companies Utah
Wholesome Ag.
Zion Cultivars
In order to meet the March deadline, Utah will need to quickly decide the awardees for medical cannabis pharmacy licenses. Applicants that have available real estate may have the upper hand in the evaluation process for Phase 1. The deadlines for creating Utah’s medical cannabis ecosystem are tight. However, Utah appears to be handling the challenge in an organized and disciplined manner.