Retail friends I need your help. We're having a disagreement in the outpatient pharmacy and I need this to be settled. Our computer, for one reason or another, will not link Neurontin 300 with gabapentin 300. When the techs type up prescriptions that call for Neurontin 300, are they supposed to type "Take one capsule by mouth daily (substituted for Neurontin)" or is that not necessary? My thought is that they must put the bolded statement in there but the techs are saying no.
If you are interested in California, then here I share:
"either the manufacturer’s trade name of the drug or the generic name and the name of the manufacturer. Commonly used abbreviations may be used."
Reference:
Samples of new labels (notice Verapamil labels show brand in only 1 label of many examples.)
http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/licensing/labels.shtml
Official law book from board web site, page 43, section called "4076. Prescription Container – Requirements for Labeling"
http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/laws_regs/lawbook.pdf
4076. Prescription Container – Requirements for Labeling
(a) A pharmacist shall not dispense any prescription except in a container that meets the
requirements of state and federal law and is correctly labeled with all of the following:
(1) Except when the prescriber or the certified nurse-midwife who functions pursuant to a
standardized procedure or protocol described in Section 2746.51, the nurse practitioner who
functions pursuant to a standardized procedure described in Section 2836.1 or protocol, the
physician assistant who functions pursuant to Section 3502.1, the naturopathic doctor who
functions pursuant to a standardized procedure or protocol described in Section 3640.5, or the
pharmacist who functions pursuant to a policy, procedure, or protocol pursuant to Section 4052.1,
4052.2, or 4052.6 orders otherwise,
either the manufacturer’s trade name of the drug or the
generic name and the name of the manufacturer. Commonly used abbreviations may be used.
Preparations containing two or more active ingredients may be identified by the manufacturer’s
trade name or the commonly used name or the principal active ingredients.
(2) The directions for the use of the drug.
(3) The name of the patient or patients.
(4) The name of the prescriber or, if applicable, the name of the certified nurse-midwife who
functions pursuant to a standardized procedure or protocol described in Section 2746.51, the
nurse practitioner who functions pursuant to a standardized procedure described in Section
2836.1 or protocol, the physician assistant who functions pursuant to Section 3502.1, the
naturopathic doctor who functions pursuant to a standardized procedure or protocol described in
Section 3640.5, or the pharmacist who functions pursuant to a policy, procedure, or protocol
pursuant to Section 4052.1, 4052.2, or 4052.6.
(5) The date of issue.
(6) The name and address of the pharmacy, and prescription number or other means of
identifying the prescription.
(7) The strength of the drug or drugs dispensed.
(8) The quantity of the drug or drugs dispensed.
(9) The expiration date of the effectiveness of the drug dispensed.
(10) The condition or purpose for which the drug was prescribed if the condition or purpose is
indicated on the prescription.
43(11) (A) Commencing January 1, 2006, the physical description of the dispensed medication,
including its color, shape, and any identification code that appears on the tablets or capsules,
except as follows:
(i) Prescriptions dispensed by a veterinarian.
(ii) An exemption from the requirements of this paragraph shall be granted to a new drug for the
first 120 days that the drug is on the market and for the 90 days during which the national
reference file has no description on file.
(iii) Dispensed medications for which no physical description exists in any commercially
available database.
(B) This paragraph applies to outpatient pharmacies only.
(C) The information required by this paragraph may be printed on an auxiliary label that is
affixed to the prescription container.
(D) This paragraph shall not become operative if the board, prior to January 1, 2006, adopts
regulations that mandate the same labeling requirements set forth in this paragraph.
(b) If a pharmacist dispenses a prescribed drug by means of a unit dose medication system, as
defined by administrative regulation, for a patient in a skilled nursing, intermediate care, or other
health care facility, the requirements of this section will be satisfied if the unit dose medication
system contains the aforementioned information or the information is otherwise readily available
at the time of drug administration.
(c) If a pharmacist dispenses a dangerous drug or device in a facility licensed pursuant to
Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code, it is not necessary to include on individual unit dose
containers for a specific patient, the name of the certified nurse-midwife who functions pursuant
to a standardized procedure or protocol described in Section 2746.51, the nurse practitioner who
functions pursuant to a standardized procedure described in Section 2836.1 or protocol, the
physician assistant who functions pursuant to Section 3502.1, the naturopathic doctor who
functions pursuant to a standardized procedure or protocol described in Section 3640.5, or the
pharmacist who functions pursuant to a policy, procedure, or protocol pursuant to Section 4052.1,
4052.2, or 4052.6.
(d) If a pharmacist dispenses a prescription drug for use in a facility licensed pursuant to Section
1250 of the Health and Safety Code, it is not necessary to include the information required in
paragraph (11) of subdivision (a) when the prescription drug is administered to a patient by a
person licensed under the Medical Practice Act (Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000)), the
Nursing Practice Act (Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 2700)), or the Vocational Nursing
Practice Act (Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 2840)), who is acting within his or her
scope of practice.
Law references attached for your convenience.
