Nevada News: Diabetic Supplies

July 1, 2007 12:05 pm Topics: Prescriptions

Reprinted from the July 2007 Nevada State Board of Pharmacy Newsletter.

Board staff has received consumer complaints regarding a pharmacist refusing to supply diabetic supplies (test strips, meters, etc) on prescriptions that do not have the brand to be dispensed specified by the physician. The scenario presents, for example, when a patient has a valid prescription on file simply written for “diabetic test strips,” which had been previously filled by the pharmacy for the brand requested by the patient. Then upon refill, the patient requests a different brand, due to a manufacturer’s coupon or other special offer. Since diabetic supplies are only put on prescription for insurance purposes and do not actually require a prescription, it has been Board staff policy to allow the pharmacist to accommodate the patient’s request for whatever brand desired without having to call the physician. Pharmacists need to be sensitive to patient finances as well as to physician and pharmacy time wasted trying to generate a new prescription for something that does not even require a prescription in the first place. In conclusion, if you have a prescription written generically for any diabetic supplies, you may fill that prescription with the brand requested by the patient unless the practitioner specifies otherwise. If a specific number of refills is not indicated on the prescription, that prescription is valid for one year from the date it is written, after which a new prescription must be generated.