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Prescription forms and regulations combat fraud

On Behalf of | May 18, 2020 | prescription fraud | 0 comments

As is the case in other professions, a pharmacist could lose his or her license for a variety of reasons related to unprofessional conduct. One example of such conduct is dispensing prescription drugs upon receiving a prescription that is fraudulent, forged or altered. 

To help combat prescription fraud, the Texas State Board of Pharmacy recently issued new Schedule II official prescription forms. 

What security features do the new prescription forms contain? 

Additional security features appear on these forms. A thermochromic feature, shown as a red Rx on the front of the form, will briefly disappear and then reappear when vigorously rubbed between two fingers or exposed to heat. Each prescription form also contains a unique control number that the pharmacist needs to report in the record of the dispensed prescription. 

When the form is near a light source, a watermark in the form of the seal for the state of Texas will appear. If someone tries to scan or copy the prescription, the pantograph security feature will cause the word “void” to appear multiple times on the face of the form. 

Can a pharmacist alter the items on official prescription forms? 

Certain items, such as the drug name and the patient name, must remain unchanged. In addition, a pharmacist cannot alter the date that shows when the physician issued the prescription or the name of the prescribing practitioner. 

A pharmacist can, however, alter other aspects. Before doing so, the pharmacist must contact and receive verbal permission from the physician prescribing the drug. He or she then needs to document the change’s authorization by providing the pharmacist’s initials, as well as the name or initials of the person who gave the authorization, on the prescription form. 

The pharmacist may then make changes to the quantity or strength of the drug listed. He or she can also alter the dosage form and the directions for use. 

How long does an official prescription remain valid? 

If a patient has an official prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance, he or she must have it filled no later than 21 days from the issue date printed on the prescription. 

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