Updates on Prescribing Controlled Substances

Date Created:Thursday, March 2, 2017

Prescription Monitoring Program Registration Available

Senate Bill 305 (85th Texas Legislature) proposes to amend the Nursing Practice Act to require all advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who prescribe opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or carisoprodol to check the prescription monitoring program (PMP) before writing prescriptions for drugs in these categories.  All APRNs who have prescriptive authority and a United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration number may register to use the PMP through the Texas State Board of Pharmacy’s (TSBP’s) website. AWARxE is a PMP that allows health care providers to query patient reports of controlled substance prescriptions in an effort to help them safely prescribe controlled substances. The PMP helps prescribers avoid practices such as polypharmacy in which duplicate prescriptions may be issued for the same drug by multiple providers. APRNs and other prescribers may also query the PMP to evaluate their own prescribing practices. This allows a prescriber to confirm that all prescriptions for controlled substances linked to the provider’s prescriber identification were actually written by that prescriber. To register for the PMP, please visit the TSBP’s website at www.pharmacy.texas.gov/PMP.