checking ids when dispensing controlled substances

[alphagan]

Hi, I am working at a retail pharmacy in Florida. According to Florida laws, under certain circumstances, we must ask for and make a copy of picture ids from patients before dispensing controlled substances (rule64b16- attached). My question is, what if their picture ids (driver licenses or state licenses) are expired? Are they still acceptable? I don't know if other states have this rule too, and if it actually comes from the DEA. Please help me clarify this matter. Thank you so much and happy new year!

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[MountainPharmD]

Hi, I am working at a retail pharmacy in Florida. According to Florida laws, under certain circumstances, we must ask for and make a copy of picture ids from patients before dispensing controlled substances (rule64b16- attached). My question is, what if their picture ids (driver licenses or state licenses) are expired? Are they still acceptable? I don't know if other states have this rule too, and if it actually comes from the DEA. Please help me clarify this matter. Thank you so much and happy new year!

It is not a federal law and does not come from the DEA.

Your best resourse is your State Board of Pharmacy. If you cannot find the answer on thier website call them. Texas does not require a drivers licenses nor I have I ever asked anyone for one unless it was a confirmed forgery.

An expired license is not a valid license for most things ie; driving, passport, airplane travel ect. I think it varies from state to state if it can still be used for positive identification.

 

[KCflacpht]

As it was explained to me? No, because once the ID is expired, it's technically no longer a legal ID. About the only thing you can use an expired ID for is writing a check ( and even then it may not work, it depends on the clerk/store).

I've gotten the "but my license was stolen/revoked/etc." excuse at times, and you just have to tell them to go down to the DMV and get an state issued ID card. Those last a long time, and cost like $20 if I remember correctly.

However, I've seen that rule "bent" by certain pharmacists. But Mountain is right- your best bet is to contact Florida's board to get clarification.

 

[Soonersyko]

It is not a federal law and does not come from the DEA.

Your best resourse is your State Board of Pharmacy. If you cannot find the answer on thier website call them. Texas does not require a drivers licenses nor I have I ever asked anyone for one unless it was a confirmed forgery.

An expired license is not a valid license for most things ie; driving, passport, airplane travel ect. I think it varies from state to state if it can still be used for positive identification.

QFT

I have never been asked for my DL by a Texas pharmacist. Then again, what's the point? The pharmacist isn't a cop so they can't run the DL # and look for past or current convictions so it doesn't stop people from picking up others prescriptions. I've had different people pick up my prescriptions with no problem.

Expired licenses have zero value to government officials too. I've been told by a friend who is a state trooper that if someone gives them an expired ID they usually snap it in front of them and give the pieces back to them. Nothing they can really do, there isn't a value in an expired license.

 

[museabuse]

we ask for IDs on all CIIs dropped off. We write it on script. If its a regular customer we know then we don't. If we fill it and find out later its fake we call cops and file a report. We have a sign at drop off that states valid ID required for all controlled drugs. Its not a big deal, and takes little effort. Its not a law just a store specific policy.

 

[PharmDstudent]

qft

i have never been asked for my dl by a texas pharmacist. Then again, what's the point? The pharmacist isn't a cop so they can't run the dl # and look for past or current convictions so it doesn't stop people from picking up others prescriptions. I've had different people pick up my prescriptions with no problem.

pmp.

 

[Soonersyko]

pmp.

Why? The only people that have picked it up for me are my parents, brother, and my girlfriend. I've never had a worry about them taking a pill because I always refill the day I know I run out and haven't had any problems.

Are wives not allowed to pickup scripts for their husbands and vise versa in your area of America?

 

[Pharmavixen]

Are wives not allowed to pickup scripts for their husbands and vise versa in your area of America?

This. And also, how does getting valid ID from a customer help prevent the diversion of Oxycontin that was dispensed from a properly-written legitimate script?

This requirement in your state reminds me of the porno scanners at the airport: it's another annoying privacy intrusion that does nothing to solve the underlying problem.

 

[alphagan]

nothing to do with logics. For example, if I mail oxys to pt, then I don't need an id. I wouldn't even know if that is a real patient or not. It is just a laws that is full of loopholes and full of tight ends.

 

[ucrx]

This. And also, how does getting valid ID from a customer help prevent the diversion of Oxycontin that was dispensed from a properly-written legitimate script?

It wouldn't really help with that, but it could be useful in other situations. If you check at drop off and a patient brings in a fake script and leaves, you have their DL# to give to the police later. If you check at pick up and someone picks up a prescription who isn't supposed to, you have a record of who it was. I've seen family members steal prescriptions before and this would provide proof. You could also use it to prove a patient picked something up if they claim they didn't.

 

[PharmDstudent]

Why? The only people that have picked it up for me are my parents, brother, and my girlfriend. I've never had a worry about them taking a pill because I always refill the day I know I run out and haven't had any problems.

Are wives not allowed to pickup scripts for their husbands and vise versa in your area of America?

pmp = Prescription Monitoring Program. SDN wouldn't let me capitalize the abbreviation... some caps lock rule, I guess.

 

[PharmDstudent]

If you check at pick up and someone picks up a prescription who isn't supposed to, you have a record of who it was. I've seen family members steal prescriptions before and this would provide proof.

The best was this one person who was sharing a controlled substance with a parent and refilled the script after the parent died! 😱

 

[Pharmavixen]

It wouldn't really help with that, but it could be useful in other situations. If you check at drop off and a patient brings in a fake script and leaves, you have their DL# to give to the police later. If you check at pick up and someone picks up a prescription who isn't supposed to, you have a record of who it was. I've seen family members steal prescriptions before and this would provide proof. You could also use it to prove a patient picked something up if they claim they didn't.

Good points. I still think, though, that you'd end up hassling far more people than you'd catch stealing scripts. And the major problem, drs writing too many scripts for oxys, etc, remains.

Anybody come across the people who aren't stealing family members' scripts, but pretending their scripts are for other family members? We had a lady who was getting scripts for Fiorinal C1/2 from her dr and changing it to her father's name so that it would get paid for by his veteran's benefits (the public drug plan doesn't pay for Fiorinal). We caught her when we phoned the dad's dr concerned about this extremely elderly gentleman receiving Fiorinal.

 

[rph3664]

Illinois used to do the triplicate thing, until Adderall became the drug of choice to keep kids quiet when schools stopped having recess and replaced this with treat time (don't laugh, this is happening in my town and the kids have to bring the treats) and believe me, we wouldn't have done anything else but fill out triplicates. This was even true in the retail section of the hospital at my last job.

That last paragraph is NOT about people who really do have ADD/ADHD, narcolepsy, or early stage Alzheimer's and need to use it.

 

[PharmDstudent]

Illinois used to do the triplicate thing, until Adderall became the drug of choice to keep kids quiet when schools stopped having recess and replaced this with treat time (don't laugh, this is happening in my town and the kids have to bring the treats) and believe me, we wouldn't have done anything else but fill out triplicates. This was even true in the retail section of the hospital at my last job.

Student:teacher is also supposed to be an associated problem.
Why pay teachers more when the insurance companies will foot the bill and chemically babysit the children through stimulants?

It's all supposed to be a hoax.

I should start selling bumperstickers that say, "Just say no to Ritalin".

 

[pontiffchristoff]

This rule is particularly useful in making sure people with expired/stolen/lost IDs can't get their prescriptions filled. Beyond that, it does nothing.

 

[CetiAlphaFive]

This rule is particularly useful in making sure people with expired/stolen/lost IDs can't get their prescriptions filled. Beyond that, it does nothing.

People can lie about their names / address / date of birth to get controlled substances.


If you're not adult enough to have valid ID, you're not adult enough to receive controls

 

[Schwimmy]

If you're not adult enough to have valid ID, you're not adult enough to receive controls

My state makes me put the ID in or I get an e-mail the next day. I have to remember this line for future use.

Now I just need a good way to convince the Amish to get on board...