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Update on Controlled Substance Prescription Forms

The California Medical Association (CMA) has provided additional information concerning the changes related to controlled substance prescription forms. This article will supplement the previous Risk E-Notes and provide more information about this change.

The original CMA Alert informed physicians of the following requirements: 

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  • Prescription forms for controlled substances are now required to include the preprinted address of the prescribing practitioner.
  • Controlled substance prescription forms must include the statement "Prescription is void if the number of drugs prescribed is not noted" at the bottom of the form.   

The CMA's Center for Legal Affairs confirmed and reiterated these two requirements this week. According to the CMA, the previous wording "Prescription is void if more than one (1) controlled substance is written per blank" is no longer applicable.

If you have further comments or questions about the above changes, please contact the CMA's Center of Legal Affairs or contact one of the vendors listed on the Office of the Attorney General's website.

 

Authored by
Ann Whitehead, RN, JD
Assistant Manager, Risk Management & Patient Safety

 

If you have questions about this article, please contact us. This information should not be considered legal advice applicable to a specific situation. Legal guidance for individual matters should be obtained from a retained attorney.