Nevada News: Computer-Generated Prescription Issues

July 1, 2009 12:08 pm Topics: Electronic prescriptions

Reprinted from the July 2009 Nevada State Board of Pharmacy Newsletter.

The Board office is constantly fielding questions from both prescribers and pharmacists regarding computer-generated prescriptions in one form or another. Hopefully the following will clarify some of the confusion:

1. Current federal law does not permit “electronic signatures” (e-prescribing) of controlled substances of any schedule.
a. We anticipate that this will change sometime this year as the Drug Enforcement Administration moves forward on e-prescribing.
2. A pharmacist may dispense a Schedule III through V controlled substance only pursuant to a written and manually signed prescription presented either directly to the pharmacist or transmitted via fax, or pursuant to an oral order directly to the pharmacist that must be immediately reduced to writing.
3. Schedule II prescriptions must be manually signed by the practitioner and presented at the pharmacy (there are limited exceptions under federal law). They may not be faxed.
4. “Electronically signed” prescriptions are not valid for any drug unless via e-prescription (again, controlled substances may not be e-prescribed at this time). Hence, a prescription presented as “electronic signature on file” received either by fax or in person is invalid. The pharmacist may, however, contact the practitioner and take the prescription as an oral order.