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Vermont News: Physician Assistants
Published in the December 2008 Vermont Board of Pharmacy Newsletter
The National Association of Physician Assistants has a policy concerning physician assistants’ (PA) ability to write prescriptions and the information that those prescriptions must include. Portions of that policy are listed below, which is designed to help clarify the misconceptions and errors surrounding this issue.
PAs are able to write prescriptions in most states including the state of Vermont. The PA’s name should be the name printed on the prescription label. The PA’s name should be written as “John Smith, PA-C” (add appropriate designation as applicable). The prescription should not state Dr Smith if John Smith is a PA. Labeling a prescription with a different clinician (eg, the attending physician) on the prescription other than the one who actually wrote it can lead to medication errors, patient confusion, and is also against pharmacy laws. The public’s perception, as well as that of professionals, of the PA is sometimes misguided by old habits. For more information or a copy of the policy, you may contact the National Association of Physician Assistants at nationalassociationpa@gmail.com.
