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Physician's Guide to Medicine - Dispensing Practitioner
Who is a dispensing practitioner?
What are some of the requirements for a dispensing
physician?
Is a physician who dispenses complimentary packages of
medicinal drugs to his or her own patient free-of-charge required to register as
a dispensing physician?
Can a nurse administer and dispense controlled substances?
May a physician prescribe and dispense controlled
substances to himself or herself?
Is it permissible to prescribe and dispense drugs to
family members?
Who is a dispensing practitioner?
A professional, such as a physician, who is authorized by
Missouri law to dispense medicinal drugs.
What are some of the requirements for a dispensing physician?
To dispense medicinal drugs in Missouri a
practitioner must:
(1) Register annually with the Missouri Department of Health as a dispensing
practitioner;
(2) Comply with, and be subject to, all state and federal laws and rules
applicable to controlled substances, including record- keeping and inventory
requirements; and
(3) Before dispensing any drug, give the patient a written prescription and
advise the patient the prescription may be filled in the practitioner's office
or at any pharmacy.
Is a physician who dispenses complimentary packages of medicinal drugs to his
or her own patient free-of-charge required to register as a dispensing
physician?
A practitioner who confines his activities to
dispensing complimentary packages of medicinal drugs to his or her own patient
in the regular course of practice, without payment, fee, or remuneration of any
kind, whether direct or indirect, and who dispenses the drugs himself or herself
is not required to register as a dispensing practitioner.
The practitioner must, however, dispense such drugs in the manufacturer's
labeled package, with the practitioner's name, patient's name, and date
dispensed.
If the drugs are not dispensed in the manufacturer's labeled package, they must
be dispensed in a container which contains the following information:
(1) The practitioner's name and address;
(2) The patient's name;
(3) The date the drug is dispensed;
(4) The name and strength of the drug; and
(5) The directions for use.
The label of a Schedule II, III, or IV controlled substance must contain a
warning that it is a criminal offense to transfer such narcotic to any person
other than the patient.
Can a nurse administer and dispense controlled substances?
A physician may allow a nurse under his or her direct
supervision to administer controlled substances.
The administering or dispensing of a controlled substance by a nurse pursuant to
a collaborative practice agreement shall be accomplished only under the
direction and supervision of the collaborating physician, or other physician
designated in the collaborative practice arrangement, and shall only occur on a
case-by-case determination of the patient´s needs following verbal consultation
and the physician´s directions for the administering or dispensing of controlled
substances shall be recorded in the patient´s chart and in the appropriate
dispensing log. These recordings shall be made by the collaborating nurse and
shall be co-signed by the collaborating physician following a review of the
records. A nurse shall not, under any circumstances, prescribe controlled
substances.
May a physician prescribe and dispense controlled substances to himself or
herself?
No. Controlled substances may be
self-administered only if prescribed or dispensed by another practitioner.
Is it permissible to prescribe and dispense drugs to family members?
While there is no legal prohibition of
prescribing and dispensing drugs _ even controlled substances _ to family
members, it is not uncommon for physicians who do this to fail to keep adequate
written medical records justifying the course of treatment.
Physicians who do prescribe or dispense drugs to family members must maintain
the same medical records and charts as for any other patient.
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