[PW] Can a Drug Prescription Be Written for One Year? (also, can a year's supply of a prescription drug be obtained at one time?)

[James Weaver]

Also, FWIW, my experience (in Washington State) has been dependent upon
the insurer and the pharmacy's particular policies. My wife and I were
forced to change pharmacies last spring. The former pharmacy accepted
one-year prescriptions, the new one accepts them with the proviso it can
contact the doctor "for renewal" during the third month.

My insurance coverage allows only monthly refills; my wife's (same
insurer, however different plan) allows up to three months of most
drugs. The policing of this seems up to the insurer's computer system.

Hope this helps! -- James
 
James E. Weaver, Reference Librarian
Whatcom County (WA) Library System
vox: 360-354-4883 -- fax: 360-354-3149
http://www.wcls.org/

-----Original Message-----
From: project-wombat-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org
[mailto:project-wombat-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org] On Behalf Of
Peter Zilahy Ingerman, PhD
Sent: Friday, December 07, 2007 9:24 AM
To: list at project-wombat.org
Subject: Re: [PW] Can a Drug Prescription Be Written for One Year?
(also, can a year's supply of a prescription drug be obtained at one
time?)

FWIW I get my prescriptions in New Jersey. They are typically written 
for three months, refillable three times or, sometimes, for one month 
refillable 11 times.

Peter Ingerman

Franco, Adrienne wrote:

>A patron wants to know if a drug prescription may be written for one
year.  
>First, am I correct in assuming that drug prescription laws and
regulations would be determined at the state rather than the federal
level?
>Also, would this more likely be a regulation or a law?
>
>I'm thinking it would be more likely to be covered by state regulations
than state or federal laws.
>
>I know that you can obtain a prescription which covers at least 6
months, based on my own personal experience.  However, I don't believe
you can obtain all 6 months of the drug at one time, but that you would
have to obtain monthly refills.  I suspect that a person can get a
prescription covering a year (is that correct?).  Even if one could get
a one-year prescription, I still don't think it's legal to obtain the
entire year supply at one time.
>
>Please share feedback as to the best sources to find the answer to this
question.  I've used Lexis-Nexis Academic unsuccessfully (looking at law
review articles, state and federal codes and federal regulations); I've
also searched general databases such as proquest.  In addition to
sources, what search strategies would you recommend?
>
>Adrienne Franco
>Reference & Instructional Services Librarian
>Iona College Libraries
>715 North Avenue
>New Rochelle, NY  10801-1890
>(914) 633-2348
>_______________________________________________
>Project Wombat
>list at project-wombat.org
>http://www.project-wombat.org/
>
>
>
>  
>
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