Receiving a faxed cii and then picking up hard copy when delivering

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tompharm

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Is this legal? I know in Florida you can fax a Rx and then pick up the hard copy on delivery, there is a florida statue for that, it says :

"465.035 Dispensing of medicinal drugs pursuant to facsimile of prescription.—
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, it is lawful for a pharmacy to dispense medicinal drugs, including controlled substances authorized under subsection (2), based on reception of an electronic facsimile of the original prescription if all of the following conditions are met:
(a) In the course of the transaction the pharmacy complies with laws and administrative rules relating to pharmacies and pharmacists.
(b) Except in the case of the transmission of a prescription by a person authorized by law to prescribe medicinal drugs:
1. The facsimile system making the transmission provides the pharmacy receiving the transmission with audio communication via telephonic, electronic, or similar means with the person presenting the prescription.
2. At the time of the delivery of the medicinal drugs, the pharmacy has in its possession the original prescription for the medicinal drug involved.
3. The recipient of the prescription shall sign a log and shall indicate the name and address of both the recipient and the patient for whom the medicinal drug was prescribed.
(2) Controlled substances listed in Schedule II as defined in s. 893.03(2) may be dispensed as provided in this section to the extent allowed by 21 C.F.R. s. 1306.11."

So apparently this is legal in Florida except for CIIs so when I look at 21 CFR s 1306.11 I cant decipher if you are allowed to or not?
§1306.11 Requirement of prescription.
(a) A pharmacist may dispense directly a controlled substance listed in Schedule II that is a prescription drug as determined under section 503 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 353(b)) only pursuant to a written prescription signed by the practitioner, except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section. A paper prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance may be transmitted by the practitioner or the practitioner's agent to a pharmacy via facsimile equipment, provided that the original manually signed prescription is presented to the pharmacist for review prior to the actual dispensing of the controlled substance, except as noted in paragraph (e), (f), or (g) of this section. The original prescription shall be maintained in accordance with §1304.04(h) of this chapter.
(b) An individual practitioner may administer or dispense directly a controlled substance listed in Schedule II in the course of his professional practice without a prescription, subject to §1306.07.
(c) An institutional practitioner may administer or dispense directly (but not prescribe) a controlled substance listed in Schedule II only pursuant to a written prescription signed by the prescribing individual practitioner or to an order for medication made by an individual practitioner that is dispensed for immediate administration to the ultimate user.
(d) In the case of an emergency situation, as defined by the Secretary in §290.10 of this title, a pharmacist may dispense a controlled substance listed in Schedule II upon receiving oral authorization of a prescribing individual practitioner, provided that:
(1) The quantity prescribed and dispensed is limited to the amount adequate to treat the patient during the emergency period (dispensing beyond the emergency period must be pursuant to a paper or electronic prescription signed by the prescribing individual practitioner);
(2) The prescription shall be immediately reduced to writing by the pharmacist and shall contain all information required in §1306.05, except for the signature of the prescribing individual practitioner;
(3) If the prescribing individual practitioner is not known to the pharmacist, he must make a reasonable effort to determine that the oral authorization came from a registered individual practitioner, which may include a callback to the prescribing individual practitioner using his phone number as listed in the telephone directory and/or other good faith efforts to insure his identity; and
(4) Within 7 days after authorizing an emergency oral prescription, the prescribing individual practitioner shall cause a written prescription for the emergency quantity prescribed to be delivered to the dispensing pharmacist. In addition to conforming to the requirements of §1306.05, the prescription shall have written on its face “Authorization for Emergency Dispensing,” and the date of the oral order. The paper prescription may be delivered to the pharmacist in person or by mail, but if delivered by mail it must be postmarked within the 7-day period. Upon receipt, the dispensing pharmacist must attach this paper prescription to the oral emergency prescription that had earlier been reduced to writing. For electronic prescriptions, the pharmacist must annotate the record of the electronic prescription with the original authorization and date of the oral order. The pharmacist must notify the nearest office of the Administration if the prescribing individual practitioner fails to deliver a written prescription to him; failure of the pharmacist to do so shall void the authority conferred by this paragraph to dispense without a written prescription of a prescribing individual practitioner.
(5) Central fill pharmacies shall not be authorized under this paragraph to prepare prescriptions for a controlled substance listed in Schedule II upon receiving an oral authorization from a retail pharmacist or an individual practitioner.
(e) A prescription prepared in accordance with §1306.05 written for a Schedule II narcotic substance to be compounded for the direct administration to a patient by parenteral, intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous or intraspinal infusion may be transmitted by the practitioner or the practitioner's agent to the pharmacy by facsimile. The facsimile serves as the original written prescription for purposes of this paragraph (e) and it shall be maintained in accordance with §1304.04(h) of this chapter.
(f) A prescription prepared in accordance with §1306.05 written for Schedule II substance for a resident of a Long Term Care Facility may be transmitted by the practitioner or the practitioner's agent to the dispensing pharmacy by facsimile. The facsimile serves as the original written prescription for purposes of this paragraph (f) and it shall be maintained in accordance with §1304.04(h).
(g) A prescription prepared in accordance with §1306.05 written for a Schedule II narcotic substance for a patient enrolled in a hospice care program certified and/or paid for by Medicare under Title XVIII or a hospice program which is licensed by the state may be transmitted by the practitioner or the practitioner's agent to the dispensing pharmacy by facsimile. The practitioner or the practitioner's agent will note on the prescription that the patient is a hospice patient. The facsimile serves as the original written prescription for purposes of this paragraph (g) and it shall be maintained in accordance with §1304.04(h).
 
are you serious? you're a new grad that just had to pass MPJE. I understand this is your first job but wtf were you doing on your rotations? production all day?

this is a black and white issue. you're a pharmacist, you should be able to look this up and interpret it. how many threads are you going to create that has absolutely no gray areas to discuss? slam dunk kinda questions. /rant
 
I don't see where in 21 CFR s 1306.11 it is ok to do. If someone can quote it please let me know. And I have asked about 10 pharmacists and they all said that they don't know if it is legal or not.
 
Seriously I hope you get fired.

"A paper prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance may be transmitted by the practitioner or the practitioner's agent to a pharmacy via facsimile equipment, provided that the original manually signed prescription is presented to the pharmacist for review prior to the actual dispensing of the controlled substance, except as noted in paragraph (e), (f), or (g) of this section. The original prescription shall be maintained in accordance with §1304.04(h) of this chapter."

Can you not read? At all? It's the FIRST FREAKING PARAGRAPH.
 
that's for practitioner not a customer for delivery
 
....
 
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Difference between filling and dispensing. I have fill CIIs via fax but they aren't billed to insurance, logged into the PMP, or released to the patient until I receive the hard copy then they are dispensed. Where is the distinction between controlled substances in a manufacturers bottle in a locked safe and controlled substances in a prescription vial in a locked safe? I don't see that anywhere in federal law.
 
that is exactly why I bring up the point because I have heard of this being done but I don't see anywhere that it is legal
 
that's for practitioner not a customer for delivery
So to clarify, you're asking about a customer faxing it to you? They went to their doctor, got a hard copy, and now they're sitting at home, and can't get a ride to drop the rx off. I agree, the law does not seem to specify anything of that nature, only if the practitioner is doing the faxing. However, if the patient was at the doctor getting it written, they should have just had the "prescriber or agent of the prescriber" do the fax from the office.

The law does say the hard copy must be obtained prior to dispensing, so I would not send the completed rx out for delivery and do a tradeoff at the patient's house.
 
So to clarify, you're asking about a customer faxing it to you? They went to their doctor, got a hard copy, and now they're sitting at home, and can't get a ride to drop the rx off. I agree, the law does not seem to specify anything of that nature, only if the practitioner is doing the faxing. However, if the patient was at the doctor getting it written, they should have just had the "prescriber or agent of the prescriber" do the fax from the office.

The law does say the hard copy must be obtained prior to dispensing, so I would not send the completed rx out for delivery and do a tradeoff at the patient's house.

you still didn't give him an exact answer. that statue is only for practitioner. what about the mother? or the significant other? can they fax it in?

please spoonfeed him some more
 
Well I don't think it is legal and I was asked to do it and I declined to do so.
 
I'm studying for the Florida MPJE now and I see how it can be somewhat confusing. However, after reviewing the statutes I believe it is technically valid to fill a Schedule II controlled substance prescription upon receiving a facsimile transmission in a community pharmacy when it is transmitted by the patient and not the practitioner, assuming they present the original written hardcopy prescription before actual dispensing occurs (Why the **** anyone would ever do such a thing is beyond me). Line 2 of the Florida statute referring to 21 C.F.R. s. 1306.11 is only to indicate that a facsimile transmission may serve as the ORIGINAL prescription when transmitted from a practitioner or his/her agent directly to the pharmacy (NOT from a patient) meeting the requirements in that rule (ie for direct IV administration, for a resident of an LTCF, or for a patient in a Medicare approved hospice facility). I am not a lawyer, but I'm licensed in 3 other states and I'm going to take the exam with this understanding.
 
Legal or not, this is still really annoying and I sure as hell never would for any controlled substance. If the customer wants "faster service" or whatever reason the request, refer him/her to a doctor that can escript controls.
 
A paper prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance may be transmitted by the practitioner or the practitioner's agent to a pharmacy via facsimile equipment,

So, here it is clear and simple. I'm going on vacation in 5 minutes so I'll be generous.

If the doctor's office sends it to you, it's legal.
If the patient sends it to you it's not legal.

Either way, unless the doctor's office calls you with a really good story and asks nicely with a cherry on top,

DON'T DO IT. IT'S A MISTAKE WAITING TO HAPPEN.
Clear enough for you.....
 
How would the patient even have the fax number for the pharmacy?
 
How would the patient even have the fax number for the pharmacy?
because we gave it to them - I am not in Florida - BUT we would sometimes "prepare" a script ahead of time for a well know patient that would often we waiting in a cab so they wouldn't have to wait and pay to much in fare (think small pharmacy where we know everybody, etc). I personally would keep the drugs aside. If they were coming in on a different day, NO, we would not
 
Don't do it unless the doctor is the one faxing it and clearly states that it is a medical emergency.
 
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