Prescriptions

Who may issue a prescription? In Texas, only physicians (MD or DO), dentists (DDS), podiatrists (DPM), or veterinarians (DVM), may issue prescriptions. Therapeutic Optometrists may also issue prescriptions or certain topical dru!s or the eye and i the optometrist is properly certi ied as an optometric !laucoma specialist , he"she may also prescri#e certain oral medications. $dvanced practice nurses ($P%), physician&s assistants (P$), or pharmacists ('Ph) may issue prescriptions under a (ritten protocol rom a supervisin! physician. $%Ps, P$s, and 'Phs have received special trainin! and education in the dia!nosin! and treatment o diseases. Why does the pharmacist ask for additional information before filling my prescription? The la( re)uires that a prescription contain certain in ormation #e ore it is illed. The pharmacist is responsi#le or the completeness o the prescription. There ore, the pharmacist or a pharmacy employee may as* you or in ormation (hich the doctor didn&t (rite on the prescription, or example, your complete name and"or address. In addition, the pharmacist is re)uired to screen, or review, the prescription and your patient medication record prior to illin! the prescription. In order to per orm this screen, or drug utilization review (D+'), the pharmacist (ill as* you to provide some #asic health in ormation such as, your sex or gender; age, or date of birth; any known allergies, drug reactions, chronic conditions; and names of other drugs you may be routinely taking, including over-the-counter drugs such as Tylenol, aspirin, antacids, vitamins, etc.

This patient medication record assists the pharmacist in identi yin! medication pro#lems such as, drug allergies; interactions with other drugs you are taking; incorrect drug dosage or length of treatment; therapeutic duplication with other drugs being taken; and inappropriate use of a drug.

$ patient has the ri!ht to re use to !ive part or all o this in ormation to the pharmacist. -o(ever, i the patient re uses to !ive this in ormation to the pharmacist, the patient loses the #ene it o the

pharmacist&s screening or any potential pro#lems that could a ect the patient&s health. Please note that the pharmacist is required to *eep all patient in ormation con idential.

Why does the pharmacist sometimes call my doctor before refilling my prescriptions? $ pharmacist may not re ill a prescription unless the doctor has authori.ed it to #e re illed. $ doctor may authori.e no re ills, one re ill, or several re ills on the ori!inal prescription. $ ter all o the re ills authori.ed on the ori!inal prescription have #een used, a pharmacist must o#tain authori.ation rom the doctor #e ore the prescription can #e re illed. /ven thou!h your doctor may (ant you to ta*e the prescription medication or a lon! time, he"she may monitor your dru! therapy #y re)uirin! the pharmacist to call each time the prescription is re illed. 0ou can assist your pharmacist and avoid delays #y callin! your pharmacy a e( days #e ore you run out o your medication. This (ill !ive your pharmacist time to contact your doctor or authori.ation to re ill your prescription i all re ills have #een used. Prescriptions or Schedule II medications may not #e re illed. $ ne(, (ritten prescription is re)uired i your physician (ants you to continue to ta*e a Schedule II medication a ter completion o the irst prescription. I you are in dou#t a#out the re illin! o a prescription, as* your pharmacist.

Is the pharmacist required to fill my prescription? Occasionally, pharmacists may re use to ill a prescription i they #elieve that illin! the prescription is not in the #est interest o your health. Some o the reasons a pharmacist may re use to ill a prescription include, the pharmacist is concerned that the medication will interact badly with another drug you are taking; the pharmacist believes that an excessive quantity has been prescribed; or the pharmacist has an indication that the prescription wasn't issued by the doctor whose name appears on the prescription.

It is the responsi#ility o the pharmacist to contact the doctor or clari ication i they have any )uestions a#out the medical correctness or le!ality o a prescription. 1y doin! this, pharmacists per orm a vital, inal chec* prior to your ta*in! the medication.

May a doctor authorize my prescription to be refilled indefinitely or give me an open prescription? %o. The la( places time limits on prescriptions. Dependin! on the dru!, prescriptions expire a ter six months or one year rom the date the prescription (as issued. $ ter the prescription expires, the pharmacist must o#tain authori.ation rom the doctor to continue re illin! the prescription, even i re ills remain on the ori!inal prescription.

If my prescription allows refills, can I get all of the refills at one time? %o. Pharmacists may dispense only the amount o medication indicated on the prescription. $lso, in ma*in! the decision to re ill a prescription, the pharmacist must consider ho( lon! the medication should last (#ased on the directions or use and the )uantity dispensed), and may re ill it only a ter an appropriate amount o time has elapsed #et(een re ills. I you (ish to receive a lar!er )uantity o medication, the pharmacist must contact the doctor or authori.ation.

Can a pharmacist fill my prescription if it has been ordered by a doctor in another state or country? 0es, under certain conditions. Another State prescription for non-controlled drugs and !chedule """, "#, or # drugs issued by a doctor licensed in another state, but not licensed in $exas, may be filled in $exas, if a true doctor-patient relationship exists. %rescriptions issued for !chedule "" drugs issued by a doctor licensed in another state may only be filled if the prescription is issued on an official $exas prescription form or if the pharmacy has a written plan for dispensing out of state !chedule "" prescriptions approved by the $exas &epartment of %ublic !afety. Foreign Country 'enerally, prescriptions from foreign doctors may not be filled. (owever, a prescription for a non-controlled drug from a doctor in )anada or *exico may be filled by a $exas pharmacy if the prescription is in writing. prescription for a controlled drug from a doctor in )anada or *exico may +,$ be filled in $exas.

Can I return a prescription to the pharmacy? $s a practical matter, %O. ,nce a prescription has left the pharmacy, the pharmacist cannot be sure that the product is still safe. $herefore, in the interest of public safety, state law prohibits the pharmacist from accepting the return of a prescription drug, in whole or in part, and reusing the drug to fill another prescription. $hink of the situation this way- Would you want the medication that you purchase from the pharmacy to be medication that someone else had returned? Can I transfer my prescription from one pharmacy to another? 0es, under certain conditions a pharmacist may trans er a prescription and the remainin! re ills to a pharmacist in another pharmacy. -o(ever, once trans erred, the prescription at the ori!inal pharmacy is void and may no lon!er #e re illed there, unless you have the prescription trans erred #ac* to the ori!inal pharmacy. re pharmacists allowed to give me a copy of my prescription? 0es, a pharmacist may !ive you a copy o your prescription. -o(ever, a copy o a prescription may #e used or in ormational purposes only. $ pharmacist may not dispense a dru! rom a copy o a prescription. $ pharmacist can use the in ormation on a copy to contact your doctor or a ne( prescription.