Pharmacist FAQsFrequently Asked Questions for Pharmacists on Schedule III Controlled Substances: Q: Can a nurse practitioner prescribe refills for Schedule III and IIIN controlled substances? A: Yes. Due to a recent NP rule change (21 NCAC 36. 0809 and 21 NCAC 32M .0109) effective April 1, 2011 which removed the prohibition on refills for this class of drugs, NPs may now prescribe up to 5 refills for Schedule III and IIIN controlled substances. Dosage units continue to be limited to a 30 day supply for each refill. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: What is the procedure in North Carolina for physicians when ordering Schedule II, III, and IV controlled substances for office use? A: The physician needs to complete a Schedule II Order form (DEA 222) for a drug in Schedule II and send it to the supplier which can be a pharmacy. The supplier keeps one copy and send the other copy to DEA. Note the instructions in the margin of the form. Orders for drugs in Schedule III or IV can occur on an invoice and the supplier (pharmacy) keeps these invoices with other CS records noting that these are outgoing items. These transactions should not occur pursuant to a prescription because prescriptions need to be patient specific.
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