Section 35.1. Certified midwife license.
(a) License.--A certified midwife license shall authorize the licensee to practice midwifery in this Commonwealth as provided in this act. The board shall promulgate regulations as may be necessary for the examination, licensure and proper conduct of the practice of midwifery within two years of the effective date of this subsection.
(b) Requirements.--An applicant for a certified midwife license shall have completed an academic and clinical program of study in midwifery that has been approved by the board or by an accrediting body recognized by the board.
(c) Authorization.--
(1) A certified midwife may practice midwifery pursuant to a collaborative agreement with a physician or physician group and regulations promulgated by the board.
(2) A certified midwife who possesses a master's degree or its substantial equivalent and national certification may prescribe, dispense, order and administer drugs, including legend drugs and Schedule II through Schedule V controlled substances, as defined in the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.233, No.64), known as The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, if the certified midwife complies with all of the following:
(i) The certified midwife shall demonstrate to the board that the certified midwife has successfully completed at least 45 hours of coursework specific to advanced pharmacology during the individual's midwifery education.
(ii) As a condition of biennial license renewal, the certified midwife shall, in the two years prior to renewal, complete at least 30 hours of continuing education approved by the board. In the case of a certified midwife with prescriptive authority under this act, the 30 hours of continuing education shall include at least 16 hours in pharmacology. Beginning with the license period designated by regulation, licensees shall be required to complete 30 hours of mandatory continuing education during each two-year license period. Nationally certified education courses shall be considered creditable, in addition to any other courses the board deems creditable toward meeting the requirements for continuing education. An individual applying for initial licensure in this Commonwealth shall be exempt from the continuing education requirement for the biennial renewal period following initial licensure.
(iii) The certified midwife shall act in accordance with a collaborative agreement with a physician or physician group, which shall at a minimum identify the categories of drugs from which the certified midwife may prescribe or dispense and the drugs which require referral, consultation or comanagement.
(iv) The certified midwife shall act in accordance with the following:
(A) The certified midwife may not prescribe, dispense, order or administer a controlled substance, except for a woman's acute pain, for a woman's medication for treatment of opioid use disorder or for primary gynecologic health conditions. The following shall apply:
(I) In the case of a Schedule II controlled substance, the dose shall be limited to 72 hours and shall not be extended, except with the approval of a collaborating physician.
(II) In the case of a Schedule III or IV controlled substance, the prescription shall be limited to 30 days and shall only be refilled with the approval of a collaborating physician.
(B) The certified midwife shall prescribe, dispense, order or administer psychotropic drugs only after consulting with a collaborating physician.
(C) The certified midwife, when working with a physician or physician group, may perform and sign the initial assessment of methadone treatment evaluations in accordance with Federal and State law and regulations, subject to the requirement that any order for methadone treatment shall only be made by a physician.
(3) A certified midwife may, consistent with the certified midwife's academic educational preparation and national certification, prescribe, dispense, order and administer:
(i) Medical devices.
(ii) Immunizing agents.
(iii) Laboratory tests.
(iv) Therapeutic, diagnostic and preventative measures.
(d) Collaborative agreements.--The physician or physician group with whom a certified midwife has a collaborative agreement shall have hospital clinical privileges in the specialty area of the care for which the physician or physician group is providing collaborative services.
(e) Mcare Act.--A certified midwife licensed under this section shall be subject to the same provisions as a certified nurse-midwife under the act of March 20, 2002 (P.L.154, No.13), known as the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (Mcare) Act.
(35.1 added May 6, 2026, P.L.196, No.14)
Compiler's Note: See section 4 of Act 14 of 2026 in the appendix to this act for special provisions relating to construction of law.