DEA officials published a final rule on partial filling of controlled substances, in part thanks to NCPA comments in February 2021, which includes provisions on how a pharmacy must record the partial filling of a prescription for a schedule II-controlled substance. What does this mean for pharmacists? When a prescribing practitioner has properly specified their intent to partially fill a prescription for a schedule II-controlled substance, this rule will require the pharmacist to record the partial filling (similar to what's required under the existing regulations for other circumstances). The dispensing pharmacist must make a notation of the quantity dispensed in one of three places: on the face of the written prescription or in the pharmacy’s electronic records; in the written record or the pharmacy’s electronic records of the emergency oral prescription; or in the record of the electronic prescription (similar to current requirements when the pharmacist is unable to supply the full quantity called for in the schedule II prescription). Importantly, for each such partial filling, the pharmacy must maintain a record with the date of each dispensing, the name or initials of the individual who dispensed the substance, and other information for schedule III and IV prescription refills.
NCPA
