The Impact of Controlled Substance Federal Regulation on the Practice of Pharmacy

Abstract

The federal Controlled Substances Act requires all registrants, including pharmacists, to keep complete, accurate, and detailed records of the acquisition and disposition of all controlled substances. These records are to be maintained in a readily retrievable manner in order that they may be inspected, verified, and copied by inspectors of the Drug Enforcement Administration. When dispensing controlled substances, pharmacists have a statutorily imposed corresponding responsibility to verify that all prescriptions for controlled substances have been issued by a prescriber in the usual course of that prescriber's legitimate medical practice. Violations of the Controlled Substances Act and regulations can subject pharmacists to a variety of sanctions, ranging from an administrative letter of admoni tion to a civil fine, forfeiture, or criminal prosecution. Copyright © 1991 by W.B. Saunders Company