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.
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.
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.
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
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.