Physicians and Physician Assistants (PAs) who prescribe or will be prescribing controlled substances in the State of Texas need to be aware of changes to the laws regarding prescribing and ordering these drugs.
Controlled Substance Electronic Prescribing Requirement
Effective January 1, 2021, Texas Health and Safety Code, §§481.0755 requires that prescriptions for controlled substances to be issued electronically, except in limited circumstances, or unless a waiver has been granted by the appropriate agency.
Information on the E-prescribing requirements and wavier process is available here.
Register with Prescription Monitoring Program - Mandatory Checks Started March 1, 2020
The Texas Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) is used to verify a practitioner’s own records and prescribing history as well as inquiring about patients. In addition, the program may be used to generate and disseminate information regarding prescription trends.
House Bill 3284 (2019) requires prescribers to check a patient’s PMP history before prescribing opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and carisoprodol with some exceptions.
Click here for more information about the PMP. Registration FAQs are available here.
Prescription Pad Orders -
For information on official prescription forms, and ordering information, visit the Texas State Board of Pharmacy website at the following link: https://www.pharmacy.texas.gov/PMP/OfficialCIIForms.asp
Texas Controlled Substances Registration Numbers for Physicians and PAs
Under Senate Bill 195 (2015), the requirement for controlled substances registration (CSR) with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) was eliminated on September 1, 2016. DPS has stopped accepting applications for the Texas Controlled Substances Registration under Chapter 481.061 of the Health and Safety Code.
Physicians and PAs will continue to be required to hold registration from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in order to prescribe controlled substances and to register prescriptive delegation for Physician Assistants and Advanced Practice Nurses with the Texas Medical Board.
Physician Assistants with Temporary Licenses pending Medical Board approval will still be required to file a Prescriptive Delegation Form with the Registrations Department of the Medical Board. To request a form, please email Registrations@tmb.state.tx.us. The DEA will verify temporary licenses with assigned delegation for registration of a DEA CSR directly with board staff.
Use this link for important information regarding the use and abuse of certain drugs as required by Senate Bill 144 http://www.tsbp.state.tx.us/sb144.htm
Effective September 1, 2008, all prescriptions for Schedule II-V controlled substances must contain the information below to be considered valid and, subsequently, filled:
- quantity of the substance prescribed (written as both a number and as a word)
- date of issue (cannot be postdated)
- name, address, and date of birth or age of patient
- name and strength of the controlled substance prescribed
- directions for the use of the controlled substance
- intended use of the substance prescribed unless the practitioner determines the furnishing of this information is not in the best interest of the patient
- printed or stamped name, address, Federal Drug Enforcement Administrations (DEA) registration number, and telephone number of the practitioner’s usual place of business
- the signature of the prescribing practitioner, unless the prescription is called into the pharmacy