Consumer FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions by Consumers: Q: Do prescription orders or prescription documents have an expiration date? A: There is no specific provision in statute or rule which says that a prescription document or order has an expiration date. Federal regulations provide that prescriptions for drugs in Schedules III and IV shall not be filled or refilled more than 6 months after the date of issue. Prescriptions for drugs in Schedule II have no specific expiration date. Board rule provides that a pharmacist can refuse to fill or refill a prescription if they believe it is harmful to the patient, not in the patient’s best interest or there is a question as to its validity. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Methamphetamine Act/Pseudoephedrine Products Q: Why can’t I find pseudoephedrine products on the shelf of my pharmacy? A: In 2005, the North Carolina General Assembly passed the Methamphetamine Lab Prevention Act. In 2006 Congress passed the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act. Both statutes require that many pseudoephedrine-containing products be stored and sold from behind the pharmacy counter. You may still purchase these products, but you are limited in the amount you can purchase, and you must sign a logbook with each purchase. Q: Are all pseudoephedrine-containing products only sold from behind the counter? A: Both statutes require that all tablet or caplet pseudoephedrine products be sold from behind the counter. The federal statute also requires that gel capsule pseudoephedrine products be sold from behind the counter. Liquid pseudoephedrine products may be sold from the pharmacy’s shelves. Q: Why must I sign a logbook when I purchase pseudoephedrine products, and what happens to my information in the logbook? A: Both statutes require a purchaser of pseudoephedrine tablets or caplets to sign a logbook and provide a name and address. These logbooks must be kept by the pharmacy for two years. The logbooks are not public records and information in them may only be disclosed to law enforcement personnel. Q: Why can’t my child purchase pseudoephedrine products? A: The North Carolina statute provides that pseudoephedrine tablets and caplets may be sold at retail only to a person at least 18 years of age. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: Can patients get their prescriptions from a physician’s office free through the patient assistance programs sponsored by manufacturers? A: It is the Board’s position that the provision of patient specific drugs from such programs must follow the statute and rules dealing with out-of-state pharmacies. This would require an out-of-state pharmacy permit and adherence to other statute and rules. See G.S. 90-85.21A. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: My prescription label lists the generic name when the brand name product is in the container. What's going on here? A: A new rule adopted by the Board of Pharmacy effective in January 2006 requires generic labeling on prescriptions even when the brand name is in the container. It also applies even when a generic is not available to be dispensed. The reason for this rule is that generic names are used exclusively on products in hospitals and patients who arrive at emergency departments with their medication should have the generic name on the label. This will help hospital personnel to better understand a patient's situation. See Generic Labeling under the Pharmacist FAQs. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: Is it legal for me to share my prescription drugs with friends or neighbors? A: It can be a violation of law, particularly with controlled substances, to give drugs to someone other than the person for whom it was prescribed. This could result in felony charges under some circumstances. Of more concern is the potential damage which could be done unintentionally. Click on the link below for an example of good intentions gone wrong. Consumers need to remember that prescription drugs are also powerful chemicals and not everyone reacts the same way to the same drug. Multiple drug use can also further complicate the health consequences of such activity. http://www.newsobserver.com/689/story/394084.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: If I can't get a flu shot, should I seek FluMist®? A: Please refer to http://www.primaryimmune.org/media/advisories/flumist_qa.htm (from the Immune Deficiency Foundation.) The CDC also has important information regarding FluMist® and health care providers. Please refer to: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/live.htm#using. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: Does HIPAA have a website? A: Yes. http://www.hipaa.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: Our local church group is planning to go on a medical mission to Central America. Can I take outdated drugs and samples on that trip? A: Federal rules prohibit the use of outdated drugs in this way. Samples are also not intended for this purpose but may be used if complete treatments can be provided. Boxes of assorted samples of medications should not be left as donations. A better solution to your problem is to contact MAP International (Medical Assistance Programs) This is a nonprofit, Christian relief and development organization based in Brunswick, Georgia. MAP can provide in-date and appropriate medicines for this purpose at a reasonable cost through their "Medicines for Missions" program. You can receive their guidelines and an application through their website at www.map.org or by calling Lisa Crosby at 800/225-8550. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: How can I file a complaint? A: There are several options when filing a complaint: 1) Write the Board’s Investigations/Inspections Office at P. O. Box 362, Newton, NC 28658; 2) Call 828-465-2324; 3) Fax a description of your complaint to 828-465-4539; or 4) E-Mail your complaint to shudson@ncbop.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: Does the Board have a position on returning prescription drugs to a pharmacy? A: Please Understand....Occasionally a pharmacist receives a request to return a prescription drug after it has left the pharmacy. Your pharmacist has the responsibility to maintain certain standards of purity and safety of all prescription drugs dispensed. In order to insure that those standards are maintained, the North Carolina Board of Pharmacy recommends that a pharmacist decline to accept any prescription drug for return once it has left the pharmacy. [This information is available in Poster Form and can be ordered from the Board.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A: North Carolina law provides that pharmacists can use a generic version of any drug on a prescription if the physician has not precluded that action by indicating "Dispense As Written" on that document. If you want a generic drug used on your prescription be sure that your pharmacist knows of your desires. There are some drugs which have a history of patient problems when therapy is changed from brand name to generic drugs. Your pharmacist and physician are in the best position to advise you on this important subject. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A: A Board rule now requires that you have the opportunity to receive more information from your pharmacist on each new prescription. Pharmacy personnel should offer to provide information on all new prescriptions and the board urges that citizens take advantage of this opportunity. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A: Yes, prescriptions can be transferred, with refills, from one pharmacy to another. Consumers should ask their new pharmacist to obtain the transfers and there is ordinarily no problem but pharmacists are not required to participate in this activity. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A: The answer to that question depends on which issue is of most concern to you. Federal law requires that records be kept for controlled substances for two years. The state Pharmacy Practice Act provides that records must be kept for three years. The state Medicaid contract requires that records be kept for five years. End of Consumer FAQ |
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