PHARMACISTS APPLAUD DEA'S SCHEDULE II MULTIPLE Rx PLAN

Plans by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to allow theissuance of multiple prescription orders for Schedule II controlledsubstances at one time with instructions to fill the orders on sequentialdays drew a thumbs up from organized pharmacy.

The proposed change represents a course reversal of sorts for theDEA, which had taken the position that permitting multiple prescriptionsis equivalent to allowing refills—a practice that is clearly prohibitedunder federal law. Although the new system would permitmultiple prescription orders to be prepared on the same day, prescriberswould be required to complete a separate prescriptionorder that includes the date the prescription was issued and signedand the effective dates on which each subsequent prescriptionorder can be filled.

The American Pharmacists Association said the change strikesthe "proper balance between providing adequate patient care andmaintaining proper controls to prevent diversion and abuse of controlledsubstances."