Have a sore throat? Soon, your local pharmacist may be able to test you for strep and prescribe medication without a trip to the doctor’s office.

That new option is one of the health care wins State Rep. Chris Lopez (R-Casa Grande) is celebrating after Gov. Katie Hobbs signed Senate Bill 1713 into law Monday. The measure was championed by Lopez’s Legislative District 16 colleague, Sen. T.J. Shope.

The new law, also known as the “pharmacy test and treat” bill, will allow pharmacists to do exactly that — test and treat for influenza, strep throat and COVID-19 for people ages 6 and up.

Lopez said the law could reduce wait times for patients seeking treatment for routine illnesses while improving access to care in rural communities.

“People are usually told to call their doctor or pediatrician for something like a sore throat but then can’t get an appointment for a week or so. Now, you can go to the pharmacy, the pharmacist can look at your symptoms and test and treat you right there,” he said.

Lopez sponsored a similar bill in the House earlier this year. However, it stalled by mid-March and a strike everything amendment was used on SB 1713, originally an amendment for the state code for performance-based contracts to the Arizona Health Cost Care and Containment System administration framework.  

“I’m so proud to be part of this team,” Lopez said of working alongside Shope and fellow Legislative District 16 Rep. Teresa Martinez. “You just got to have folks in the dog fight with you who have experienced [these kinds of difficulties] and continue to live it.”