United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
*The final rule amends DEA regulations to explicitly state that an electronic prescription for a controlled substance in schedule II–V may be transferred between retail pharmacies for initial filling on a one-time basis only, upon request from the patient, and clarifies that any authorized refills included on a prescription for a schedule III, IV, or V controlled substance are transferred with the original prescription. The final rule requires that: the transfer must be communicated directly between two licensed pharmacists; the prescription must remain in its electronic form; and the contents of the prescription required by 21 CFR part 1306 must be unaltered during the transmission. The final rule also stipulates that the transfer of EPCS for initial dispensing is permissible only if allowable under existing State or other applicable law.
Section 4(a)(3.1)(ii) of the PA Pharmacy Act states that the prescription being transferred to the pharmacy cannot be for a Schedule II controlled substance. As this language is in the Pharmacy Act a legislative change would need to made should pharmacies in Pennsylvania want to have the ability to transfer prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances.
United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Code of Federation Regulations, Title 21 – Food and Drugs
Access Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations which pertains to Food and Drugs
Code of Federation Regulations, Title 42 – Public Health
Access Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations which pertains to Public Health
Compliance with Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA)
- Information from the FDA and sign up for Drug Supply Chain Security Act email updates
- Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) Resources for Dispensers
United States Product Safety Commission Poison Prevention Packaging: A Guide for Healthcare Professions
Access a guide on Poison Prevention Packaging
United States Pharmacopeia (USP)
- Access the USP website
- Access the USP information on Compounding Standards
- Access the USP 795 FAQ sheet
- Access the USP 797 FAQ sheet
- Access the USP 800 FAQ sheet
- The following pages highlights key changes made in the revised USP Chapter 795 and 797 (official as of November 1, 2023). These are major changes and are not meant to be an exhaustive list of the entirety of all changes made.
- Board of Pharmacy Positions Towards Flavoring (official as of November 1, 2023)
United States Department of Health & Human Services
Access information related to Health Information Privacy and HIPAA
Information on Medicare Part D
- Click here to access Drug Coverage Information for Providers
- Click here to access the Medicare Plan Finder
- Click here to access information on Social Security
- Click here to access the Medicare & You Informational Handbook
- Click here to access the Medicare website
- Click here to access the Medicare Today website which contains basic information usable for patients
- Click here to access the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Resources on the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit
- Click here for a fact sheet on the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit
- Click here to access the CMS Pharmacist Center
Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities
- The United States Department of Health & Human Services released the Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities Final Rule in May 2016, which took effect on July 18, 2016. Key requirements affecting pharmacies include:
- Designation of responsible employees
- Adoption of grievance procedures
- File assurance of compliance form when applying for federal funding
- Training
- Notices of nondiscrimination and taglines
- Meaningful access for individuals with limited English proficiency
- Meaningful access for individuals with disability
- Accessible electronic and information technology programs or activities for individuals with disabilities
- Reasonable modifications to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability
- For more information and tips on how to comply, please see this resource from the American Pharmacists Association. Click here for this resource.
