North Carolina News: Item 2109 - ID Checks and Controlled Substances

April 1, 2006 2:21 PM Topics: Controlled substances, Patient safety, and Prescribing authority

Reprinted from the April 2006 North Carolina Board of Pharmacy Newsletter.

The Board has received several reports of a person calling a pharmacy and having a patient’s controlled substance (CS) prescriptions transferred to a second pharmacy. The caller then picks up the prescription at the second pharmacy, which does not obtain proof of identification, thereby allowing the caller to divert CS.

Board Rule .1817 provides that “[a]s a precondition to filling any prescription or dispensing any drug, a pharmacist or person acting at the direction of a pharmacist may demand, inspect and record proof of identification, including valid photographic identification, from any patient presenting a prescription or any person acting on behalf of the patient.” Furthermore, a pharmacist “may exercise discretion and refuse to fill any prescription or dispense any drug if unsatisfied as to the legitimacy or appropriateness of any prescription presented, the validity of any photographic identification or the identity of any patient presenting a prescription . . . .”

The Board strongly encourages pharmacists to exercise the authority granted by Rule .1817 to prevent CS diversion specifically, and to protect patient safety, confidentiality, and health generally.