Where We Stand
Section: Prescribing Guidelines
Policy: Controlled Substances - DEA Guidelines

Appendix A

Purpose:  The purpose of these guidelines is to establish an acceptable professional response to the demands of the Controlled Substances Act.  The guidelines, based on those proposed by the Drug Enforcement Administration's Practitioner Committee, provide a commonsense approach to encourage voluntary compliance by the prescribing professions.

General Statement: The principles expressed in these guidelines constitute neither a pronouncement of law nor a code of ethics, and are not intended to in any way to supersede or be in conflict with statutes or ethical concepts governing the conduct of the various practitioners in their respective professional organizations.  Accountability is the responsibility of each discipline.

General Guidelines:

• Controlled substances have legitimate clinical usefulness and the prescriber should not hesitate to consider prescribing when they are clinically indicated.
• Prescribing controlled substances for legitimate medical use requires special caution because of their potential for abuse and dependence.
• Physicians should exercise good judgment in administering and prescribing controlled substances so that diversion to illicit use is avoided and the development of drug dependence is minimized or prevented.
• Physicians should guard against contributing to drug abuse through injudicious prescribing practices, or by acquiescence to unwarranted demands by some patients.
• Each prescriber should examine his/her prescribing practices to insure that all prescriptions for controlled substances are being written with caution.
• Prescribers should make a special effort to ensure that multiple prescription orders are not being obtained by the patient from different practices/prescribers.

Legal Requirements:

• The prescriber is granted through legal authority the right to prescribe medications that are necessary for the treatment of his/her patients.  Prescribing is governed by laws and regulations, which set forth minimum standards and requirements.

• Separate laws relating to the distribution of controlled substances have been enacted in most states.  Oregon law is virtually identical to the Federal Controlled Substances Act.  Passed by Congress in 1971, the law is administered by the State Board of Pharmacy.  Close cooperation between law enforcement and medicine will insure that legitimate drugs remain in legitimate channels.

• The legal requirements that apply to writing prescriptions for controlled substances include the following and are made a part of these guidelines for informational purposes:
  
  • The prescription order must be signed by the prescriber when it is written.
  • The prescriber's name, address and DEA registration number must be included on the form, as well as the full name and address of the patient.
  • A written prescription is required for drugs in Schedule II. Only in emergency conditions can oral orders for Schedule II drugs be accepted by a dispenser. Such oral orders must be followed by a written prescription within 72 hours.
  • The renewing of Schedule II prescriptions is prohibited.

• Prescription orders for Schedules III, IV and V may be issued either orally or in writing and may be renewed if so authorized on the prescription order.  The prescription order is valid for six months from the date of issue, during which time it may be refilled up to five times.