New Prescription Requirements for Schedule II Opioids
Posted on 12/16/2016 in BORN, DPH & MassHealth Updates
The MA Department of Public Health issued a circular letter on 12/16/16 regarding a change in state law relating to patient requests for partial fills of prescriptions for Schedule II opioid medications and to clarify what the DPH considers compliance with the statutory changes.
Effective March 14, 2016 patients have a right to request less than the prescribed amount of a Schedule II opioid medication and prescribers must include a notation on all Schedule II opioid prescriptions that the patient may request an amount less than the full quantity prescribed.
In keeping with this, pharmacists filling a prescription for a Schedule II opioid medication may dispense less than the prescribed quantity if requested by the patient. If a patient requests a lesser amount, the remaining quantities on the prescription would be void.
DPH considers the use of the following notation on all Schedule II prescriptions as meeting the new statutory requirement: Partial Fill Upon Patient Request
If this notation is not included on a Schedule II opioid prescription, the pharmacist must contact the prescriber for confirmation and document the notation on the prescription in writing or electronically.
CLICK HERE to view the circular letter issued by the Department of Public Health.