Article 1. Requirements Of Prescriptions of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 10. >> Chapter 4. >> Article 1.

No person other than a physician, dentist, podiatrist, or veterinarian, or naturopathic doctor acting pursuant to Section 3640.7 of the Business and Professions Code, or pharmacist acting within the scope of a project authorized under Article 1 (commencing with Section 128125) of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 107 or within the scope of Section 4052.1, 4052.2, or 4052.6 of the Business and Professions Code, a registered nurse acting within the scope of a project authorized under Article 1 (commencing with Section 128125) of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 107, a certified nurse-midwife acting within the scope of Section 2746.51 of the Business and Professions Code, a nurse practitioner acting within the scope of Section 2836.1 of the Business and Professions Code, a physician assistant acting within the scope of a project authorized under Article 1 (commencing with Section 128125) of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 107 or Section 3502.1 of the Business and Professions Code, a naturopathic doctor acting within the scope of Section 3640.5 of the Business and Professions Code, or an optometrist acting within the scope of Section 3041 of the Business and Professions Code, or an out-of-state prescriber acting pursuant to Section 4005 of the Business and Professions Code shall write or issue a prescription.

Notwithstanding Section 11150.5 or subdivision (a) of Section 11054, methaqualone, its salts, isomers, and salts of its isomers shall be deemed to be classified in Schedule I for the purposes of this chapter.

A prescription written by an unlicensed person lawfully practicing medicine pursuant to Section 2065 of the Business and Professions Code, shall be filled only at a pharmacy maintained in the hospital which employs such unlicensed person.

No person shall write, issue, fill, compound, or dispense a prescription that does not conform to this division.

(a) A prescription for a controlled substance shall only be issued for a legitimate medical purpose by an individual practitioner acting in the usual course of his or her professional practice. The responsibility for the proper prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances is upon the prescribing practitioner, but a corresponding responsibility rests with the pharmacist who fills the prescription. Except as authorized by this division, the following are not legal prescriptions: (1) an order purporting to be a prescription which is issued not in the usual course of professional treatment or in legitimate and authorized research; or (2) an order for an addict or habitual user of controlled substances, which is issued not in the course of professional treatment or as part of an authorized narcotic treatment program, for the purpose of providing the user with controlled substances, sufficient to keep him or her comfortable by maintaining customary use.
  (b) Any person who knowingly violates this section shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine not exceeding twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.
  (c) No provision of the amendments to this section enacted during the second year of the 1981-82 Regular Session shall be construed as expanding the scope of practice of a pharmacist.

(a) No wholesaler or manufacturer, or agent or employee of a wholesaler or manufacturer, shall furnish controlled substances for other than legitimate medical purposes.
  (b) Anyone who violates this section knowing, or having a conscious disregard for the fact, that the controlled substances are for other than a legitimate medical purpose shall be punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine not exceeding twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.
  (c) Factors to be considered in determining whether a wholesaler or manufacturer, or agent or employee of a wholesaler or manufacturer, furnished controlled substances knowing or having a conscious disregard for the fact that the controlled substances are for other than legitimate medical purposes shall include, but not be limited to, whether the use of controlled substances was for purposes of increasing athletic ability or performance, the amount of controlled substances furnished, the previous ordering pattern of the customer (including size and frequency of orders), the type and size of the customer, and where and to whom the customer distributes the product.

(a) Except in the regular practice of his or her profession, no person shall knowingly prescribe, administer, dispense, or furnish a controlled substance to or for any person or animal which is not under his or her treatment for a pathology or condition other than addiction to a controlled substance, except as provided in this division.
  (b) No person shall knowingly solicit, direct, induce, aid, or encourage a practitioner authorized to write a prescription to unlawfully prescribe, administer, dispense, or furnish a controlled substance.

Any physician, who by court order or order of any state or governmental agency, or who voluntarily surrenders his controlled substance privileges, shall not possess, administer, dispense, or prescribe a controlled substance unless and until such privileges have been restored, and he has obtained current registration from the appropriate federal agency as provided by law.

(a) Except as provided in Section 2241 of the Business and Professions Code, no person shall prescribe for, or administer, or dispense a controlled substance to, an addict, or to any person representing himself or herself as such, except as permitted by this division.
  (b) (1) For purposes of this section, "addict" means a person whose actions are characterized by craving in combination with one or more of the following:
  (A) Impaired control over drug use.
  (B) Compulsive use.
  (C) Continued use despite harm.
  (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a person whose drug-seeking behavior is primarily due to the inadequate control of pain is not an addict within the meaning of this section.

No person shall issue a prescription that is false or fictitious in any respect.

(a) Except as provided in Section 11159 or in subdivision (b) of this section, no controlled substance classified in Schedule II shall be dispensed without a prescription meeting the requirements of this chapter. Except as provided in Section 11159 or when dispensed directly to an ultimate user by a practitioner, other than a pharmacist or pharmacy, no controlled substance classified in Schedule III, IV, or V may be dispensed without a prescription meeting the requirements of this chapter.
  (b) A practitioner specified in Section 11150 may dispense directly to an ultimate user a controlled substance classified in Schedule II in an amount not to exceed a 72-hour supply for the patient in accordance with directions for use given by the dispensing practitioner only where the patient is not expected to require any additional amount of the controlled substance beyond the 72 hours. Practitioners dispensing drugs pursuant to this subdivision shall meet the requirements of subdivision (f) of Section 11164.
  (c) Except as otherwise prohibited or limited by law, a practitioner specified in Section 11150, may administer controlled substances in the regular practice of his or her profession.

An order for controlled substances for use by a patient in a county or licensed hospital shall be exempt from all requirements of this article, but shall be in writing on the patient's record, signed by the prescriber, dated, and shall state the name and quantity of the controlled substance ordered and the quantity actually administered. The record of such orders shall be maintained as a hospital record for a minimum of seven years.

An order for controlled substances furnished to a patient in a clinic which has a permit issued pursuant to Article 13 (commencing with Section 4180) of Chapter 9 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, except an order for a Schedule II controlled substance, shall be exempt from the prescription requirements of this article and shall be in writing on the patient's record, signed by the prescriber, dated, and shall state the name and quantity of the controlled substance ordered and the quantity actually furnished. The record of the order shall be maintained as a clinic record for a minimum of seven years. This section shall apply only to a clinic that has obtained a permit under the provisions of Article 13 (commencing with Section 4180) of Chapter 9 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code. Clinics that furnish controlled substances shall be required to keep a separate record of the furnishing of those drugs which shall be available for review and inspection by all properly authorized personnel.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a prescription for a controlled substance for use by a patient who has a terminal illness may be written on a prescription form that does not meet the requirements of Section 11162.1 if the prescription meets the following requirements:
  (1) Contain the information specified in subdivision (a) of Section 11164.
  (2) Indicate that the prescriber has certified that the patient is terminally ill by the words "11159.2 exemption."
  (b) A pharmacist may fill a prescription pursuant to this section when there is a technical error in the certification required by paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), provided that he or she has personal knowledge of the patient's terminal illness, and subsequently returns the prescription to the prescriber for correction within 72 hours.
  (c) For purposes of this section, "terminally ill" means a patient who meets all of the following conditions:
  (1) In the reasonable medical judgment of the prescribing physician, the patient has been determined to be suffering from an illness that is incurable and irreversible.
  (2) In the reasonable medical judgment of the prescribing physician, the patient's illness will, if the illness takes its normal course, bring about the death of the patient within a period of one year.
  (3) The patient's treatment by the physician prescribing a controlled substance pursuant to this section primarily is for the control of pain, symptom management, or both, rather than for cure of the illness.
  (d) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2004.

(a) When a practitioner is named in a warrant of arrest or is charged in an accusatory pleading with a felony violation of Section 11153, 11154, 11156, 11157, 11170, 11173, 11350, 11351, 11352, 11353, 11353.5, 11377, 11378, 11378.5, 11379, 11379.5, or 11379.6, the court in which the accusatory pleading is filed or the magistrate who issued the warrant of arrest shall, upon the motion of a law enforcement agency which is supported by reasonable cause, issue an order which requires the practitioner to surrender to the clerk of the court all controlled substance prescription forms in the practitioner's possession at a time set in the order and which prohibits the practitioner from obtaining, ordering, or using any additional prescription forms. The law enforcement agency obtaining the order shall notify the Department of Justice of this order. Except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (e) of this section, the order shall remain in effect until further order of the court. Any practitioner possessing prescription forms in violation of the order is guilty of a misdemeanor.
  (b) The order provided by subdivision (a) shall be vacated if the court or magistrate finds that the underlying violation or violations are not supported by reasonable cause at a hearing held within two court days after the practitioner files and personally serves upon the prosecuting attorney and the law enforcement agency that obtained the order, a notice of motion to vacate the order with any affidavits on which the practitioner relies. At the hearing, the burden of proof, by a preponderance of the evidence, is on the prosecution. Evidence presented at the hearing shall be limited to the warrant of arrest with supporting affidavits, the motion to require the defendant to surrender controlled substance prescription forms and to prohibit the defendant from obtaining, ordering, or using controlled substance prescription forms, with supporting affidavits, the sworn complaint together with any documents or reports incorporated by reference thereto which, if based on information and belief, state the basis for the information, or any other documents of similar reliability as well as affidavits and counter affidavits submitted by the prosecution and defense. Granting of the motion to vacate the order is no bar to prosecution of the alleged violation or violations.
  (c) The defendant may elect to challenge the order issued under subdivision (a) at the preliminary examination. At that hearing, the evidence shall be limited to that set forth in subdivision (b) and any other evidence otherwise admissible at the preliminary examination.
  (d) If the practitioner has not moved to vacate the order issued under subdivision (a) by the time of the preliminary examination and he or she is held to answer on the underlying violation or violations, the practitioner shall be precluded from afterwards moving to vacate the order. If the defendant is not held to answer on the underlying charge or charges at the conclusion of the preliminary examination, the order issued under subdivision (a) shall be vacated.
  (e) Notwithstanding subdivision (d), any practitioner who is diverted pursuant to Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 1000) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Penal Code may file a motion to vacate the order issued under subdivision (a).
  (f) This section shall become operative on November 1, 2004.

(a) Prescription forms for controlled substance prescriptions shall be obtained from security printers approved by the Department of Justice.
  (b) The department may approve security printer applications after the applicant has provided the following information:
  (1) Name, address, and telephone number of the applicant.
  (2) Policies and procedures of the applicant for verifying the identity of the prescriber ordering controlled substance prescription forms.
  (3) Policies and procedures of the applicant for verifying delivery of controlled substance prescription forms to prescribers.
  (4) (A) The location, names, and titles of the applicant's agent for service of process in this state; all principal corporate officers, if any; all managing general partners, if any; and any individual owner, partner, corporate officer, manager, agent, representative, employee, or subcontractor of the applicant who has direct access to, or management or control of, controlled substance prescription forms.
  (B) A report containing this information shall be made on an annual basis and within 30 days after any change of office, principal corporate officers, managing general partner, or of any person described in subparagraph (A).
  (5) (A) A signed statement indicating whether the applicant, any principal corporate officer, any managing general partner, or any individual owner, partner, corporate officer, manager, agent, representative, employee, or subcontractor of the applicant who has direct access to, or management or control of, controlled substance prescription forms, has ever been convicted of, or pled no contest to, a violation of any law of a foreign country, the United States, or any state, or of any local ordinance.
  (B) The department shall provide the applicant and any individual owner, partner, corporate officer, manager, agent, representative, employee, or subcontractor of the applicant who has direct access to, or management or control of, controlled substance prescription forms, with the means and direction to provide fingerprints and related information, in a manner specified by the department, for the purpose of completing state, federal, or foreign criminal background checks.
  (C) Any applicant described in subdivision (b) shall submit his or her fingerprint images and related information to the department, for the purpose of the department obtaining information as to the existence and nature of a record of state, federal, or foreign level convictions and state, federal, or foreign level arrests for which the department establishes that the applicant was released on bail or on his or her own recognizance pending trial, as described in subdivision (l) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code. Requests for federal level criminal offender record information received by the department pursuant to this section shall be forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation by the department.
  (D) The department shall assess against each security printer applicant a fee determined by the department to be sufficient to cover all processing, maintenance, and investigative costs generated from or associated with completing state, federal, or foreign background checks and inspections of security printers pursuant to this section with respect to that applicant; the fee shall be paid by the applicant at the time he or she submits the security printer application, fingerprints, and related information to the department.
  (E) The department shall retain fingerprint impressions and related information for subsequent arrest notification pursuant to Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code for all applicants.
  (c) The department may, within 60 calendar days of receipt of the application from the applicant, deny the security printer application.
  (d) The department may deny a security printer application on any of the following grounds:
  (1) The applicant, any individual owner, partner, corporate officer, manager, agent, representative, employee, or subcontractor for the applicant, who has direct access, management, or control of controlled substance prescription forms, has been convicted of a crime. A conviction within the meaning of this paragraph means a plea or verdict of guilty or a conviction following a plea of nolo contendere. Any action which a board is permitted to take following the establishment of a conviction may be taken when the time for appeal has elapsed, the judgment of conviction has been affirmed on appeal, or when an order granting probation is made suspending the imposition of sentence, irrespective of a subsequent order under the provisions of Section 1203.4 of the Penal Code.
  (2) The applicant committed any act involving dishonesty, fraud, or deceit with the intent to substantially benefit himself, herself, or another, or substantially injure another.
  (3) The applicant committed any act that would constitute a violation of this division.
  (4) The applicant knowingly made a false statement of fact required to be revealed in the application to produce controlled substance prescription forms.
  (5) The department determines that the applicant failed to demonstrate adequate security procedures relating to the production and distribution of controlled substance prescription forms.
  (6) The department determines that the applicant has submitted an incomplete application.
  (7) As a condition for its approval as a security printer, an applicant shall authorize the Department of Justice to make any examination of the books and records of the applicant, or to visit and inspect the applicant during business hours, to the extent deemed necessary by the board or department to properly enforce this section.
  (e) An approved applicant shall submit an exemplar of a controlled substance prescription form, with all security features, to the Department of Justice within 30 days of initial production.
  (f) The department shall maintain a list of approved security printers and the department shall make this information available to prescribers and other appropriate government agencies, including the Board of Pharmacy.
  (g) Before printing any controlled substance prescription forms, a security printer shall verify with the appropriate licensing board that the prescriber possesses a license and current prescribing privileges which permits the prescribing of controlled substances with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
  (h) Controlled substance prescription forms shall be provided directly to the prescriber either in person, by certified mail, or by a means that requires a signature signifying receipt of the package and provision of that signature to the security printer. Controlled substance prescription forms provided in person shall be restricted to established customers. Security printers shall obtain a photo identification from the customer and maintain a log of this information. Controlled substance prescription forms shall be shipped only to the prescriber's address on file and verified with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration or the Medical Board of California.
  (i) Security printers shall retain ordering and delivery records in a readily retrievable manner for individual prescribers for three years.
  (j) Security printers shall produce ordering and delivery records upon request by an authorized officer of the law as defined in Section 4017 of the Business and Professions Code.
  (k) Security printers shall report any theft or loss of controlled substance prescription forms to the Department of Justice via fax or e-mail within 24 hours of the theft or loss.
  (l) (1) The department shall impose restrictions, sanctions, or penalties, subject to subdivisions (m) and (n), against security printers who are not in compliance with this division pursuant to regulations implemented pursuant to this division and shall revoke its approval of a security printer for a violation of this division or action that would permit a denial pursuant to subdivision (d) of this section.
  (2) When the department revokes its approval, it shall notify the appropriate licensing boards and remove the security printer from the list of approved security printers.
  (m) The following violations by security printers shall be punishable pursuant to subdivision (n):
  (1) Failure to comply with the Security Printer Guidelines established by the Security Printer Program as a condition of approval.
  (2) Failure to take reasonable precautions to prevent any dishonest act or illegal activity related to the access and control of security prescription forms.
  (3) Theft or fraudulent use of a prescriber's identity in order to obtain security prescription forms.
  (n) A security printer approved pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be subject to the following penalties for actions leading to the denial of a security printer application specified in subdivision (d) or for a violation specified in subdivision (m):
  (1) For a first violation, a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).
  (2) For a second or subsequent violation, a fine not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for each violation.
  (3) For a third or subsequent violation, a filing of an administrative disciplinary action seeking to suspend or revoke security printer approval.

(a) When a prescriber's authority to prescribe controlled substances is restricted by civil, criminal, or administrative action, or by an order of the court issued pursuant to Section 11161, the law enforcement agency or licensing board that sought the restrictions shall provide the name, category of licensure, license number, and the nature of the restrictions imposed on the prescriber to security printers, the Department of Justice, and the Board of Pharmacy.
  (b) The Board of Pharmacy shall make available the information required by subdivision (a) to pharmacies and security printers to prevent the dispensing of controlled substance prescriptions issued by the prescriber and the ordering of additional controlled substance prescription forms by the restricted prescriber.

(a) The prescription forms for controlled substances shall be printed with the following features:
  (1) A latent, repetitive "void" pattern shall be printed across the entire front of the prescription blank; if a prescription is scanned or photocopied, the word "void" shall appear in a pattern across the entire front of the prescription.
  (2) A watermark shall be printed on the backside of the prescription blank; the watermark shall consist of the words "California Security Prescription."
  (3) A chemical void protection that prevents alteration by chemical washing.
  (4) A feature printed in thermochromic ink.
  (5) An area of opaque writing so that the writing disappears if the prescription is lightened.
  (6) A description of the security features included on each prescription form.
  (7) (A) Six quantity check off boxes shall be printed on the form so that the prescriber may indicate the quantity by checking the applicable box where the following quantities shall appear: 1-24 25-49 50-74 75-100 101-150 151 and over.
  (B) In conjunction with the quantity boxes, a space shall be provided to designate the units referenced in the quantity boxes when the drug is not in tablet or capsule form.
  (8) Prescription blanks shall contain a statement printed on the bottom of the prescription blank that the "Prescription is void if the number of drugs prescribed is not noted."
  (9) The preprinted name, category of licensure, license number, federal controlled substance registration number, and address of the prescribing practitioner.
  (10) Check boxes shall be printed on the form so that the prescriber may indicate the number of refills ordered.
  (11) The date of origin of the prescription.
  (12) A check box indicating the prescriber's order not to substitute.
  (13) An identifying number assigned to the approved security printer by the Department of Justice.
  (14) (A) A check box by the name of each prescriber when a prescription form lists multiple prescribers.
  (B) Each prescriber who signs the prescription form shall identify himself or herself as the prescriber by checking the box by his or her name.
  (b) Each batch of controlled substance prescription forms shall have the lot number printed on the form and each form within that batch shall be numbered sequentially beginning with the numeral one.
  (c) (1) A prescriber designated by a licensed health care facility, a clinic specified in Section 1200, or a clinic specified in subdivision (a) of Section 1206 that has 25 or more physicians or surgeons may order controlled substance prescription forms for use by prescribers when treating patients in that facility without the information required in paragraph (9) of subdivision (a) or paragraph (3) of this subdivision.
  (2) Forms ordered pursuant to this subdivision shall have the name, category of licensure, license number, and federal controlled substance registration number of the designated prescriber and the name, address, category of licensure, and license number of the licensed health care facility the clinic specified in Section 1200, or the clinic specified in Section 1206 that has 25 or more physicians or surgeons preprinted on the form. Licensed health care facilities or clinics exempt under Section 1206 are not required to preprint the category of licensure and license number of their facility or clinic.
  (3) Forms ordered pursuant to this section shall not be valid prescriptions without the name, category of licensure, license number, and federal controlled substance registration number of the prescriber on the form.
  (4) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the designated prescriber shall maintain a record of the prescribers to whom the controlled substance prescription forms are issued, that shall include the name, category of licensure, license number, federal controlled substance registration number, and quantity of controlled substance prescription forms issued to each prescriber. The record shall be maintained in the health facility for three years.
  (B) Forms ordered pursuant to this subdivision that are printed by a computerized prescription generation system shall not be subject to subparagraph (A) or paragraph (7) of subdivision (a). Forms printed pursuant to this subdivision that are printed by a computerized prescription generation system may contain the prescriber's name, category of professional licensure, license number, federal controlled substance registration number, and the date of the prescription.
  (d) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2012. Prescription forms not in compliance with this division shall not be valid or accepted after July 1, 2012.

(a) Every person who counterfeits a prescription blank purporting to be an official prescription blank prepared and issued pursuant to Section 11161.5, or knowingly possesses more than three counterfeited prescription blanks, shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code or by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year.
  (b) Every person who knowingly possesses three or fewer counterfeited prescription blanks purporting to be official prescription blanks prepared and issued pursuant to Section 11161.5, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months, or by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.

(a) Every person who counterfeits a controlled substance prescription form shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine.
  (b) Every person who knowingly possesses a counterfeited controlled substance prescription form shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months, by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine.
  (c) Every person who attempts to obtain or obtains a controlled substance prescription form under false pretenses shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months, by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine.
  (d) Every person who fraudulently produces controlled substance prescription forms shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months, by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine.
  (e) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2004.

Except as provided in Section 11167, no person shall prescribe a controlled substance, nor shall any person fill, compound, or dispense a prescription for a controlled substance, unless it complies with the requirements of this section.
  (a) Each prescription for a controlled substance classified in Schedule II, III, IV, or V, except as authorized by subdivision (b), shall be made on a controlled substance prescription form as specified in Section 11162.1 and shall meet the following requirements:
  (1) The prescription shall be signed and dated by the prescriber in ink and shall contain the prescriber's address and telephone number; the name of the ultimate user or research subject, or contact information as determined by the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services; refill information, such as the number of refills ordered and whether the prescription is a first-time request or a refill; and the name, quantity, strength, and directions for use of the controlled substance prescribed.
  (2) The prescription shall also contain the address of the person for whom the controlled substance is prescribed. If the prescriber does not specify this address on the prescription, the pharmacist filling the prescription or an employee acting under the direction of the pharmacist shall write or type the address on the prescription or maintain this information in a readily retrievable form in the pharmacy.
  (b) (1) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 11162.1, any controlled substance classified in Schedule III, IV, or V may be dispensed upon an oral or electronically transmitted prescription, which shall be produced in hard copy form and signed and dated by the pharmacist filling the prescription or by any other person expressly authorized by provisions of the Business and Professions Code. Any person who transmits, maintains, or receives any electronically transmitted prescription shall ensure the security, integrity, authority, and confidentiality of the prescription.
  (2) The date of issue of the prescription and all the information required for a written prescription by subdivision (a) shall be included in the written record of the prescription; the pharmacist need not include the address, telephone number, license classification, or federal registry number of the prescriber or the address of the patient on the hard copy, if that information is readily retrievable in the pharmacy.
  (3) Pursuant to an authorization of the prescriber, any agent of the prescriber on behalf of the prescriber may orally or electronically transmit a prescription for a controlled substance classified in Schedule III, IV, or V, if in these cases the written record of the prescription required by this subdivision specifies the name of the agent of the prescriber transmitting the prescription.
  (c) The use of commonly used abbreviations shall not invalidate an otherwise valid prescription.
  (d) Notwithstanding any provision of subdivisions (a) and (b), prescriptions for a controlled substance classified in Schedule V may be for more than one person in the same family with the same medical need.
  (e) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2005.

(a) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a prescription for a controlled substance issued by a prescriber in another state for delivery to a patient in another state may be dispensed by a California pharmacy, if the prescription conforms with the requirements for controlled substance prescriptions in the state in which the controlled substance was prescribed.
  (2) All prescriptions for Schedule II, Schedule III, and Schedule IV controlled substances dispensed pursuant to this subdivision shall be reported by the dispensing pharmacy to the Department of Justice in the manner prescribed by subdivision (d) of Section 11165.
  (b) Pharmacies may dispense prescriptions for Schedule III, Schedule IV, and Schedule V controlled substances from out-of-state prescribers pursuant to Section 4005 of the Business and Professions Code and Section 1717 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 11164, with the approval of the California State Board of Pharmacy and the Department of Justice, a pharmacy or hospital may receive electronic data transmission prescriptions or computer entry prescriptions or orders as specified in Section 4071.1 of the Business and Professions Code, for controlled substances in Schedule II, III, IV, or V if authorized by federal law and in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The California State Board of Pharmacy shall maintain a list of all requests and approvals granted pursuant to this subdivision.
  (b) Notwithstanding Section 11164, if approved pursuant to subdivision (a), a pharmacy or hospital receiving an electronic transmission prescription or a computer entry prescription or order for a controlled substance classified in Schedule II, III, IV, or V shall not be required to reduce that prescription or order to writing or to hard copy form, if for three years from the last day of dispensing that prescription, the pharmacy or hospital is able, upon request of the board or the Department of Justice, to immediately produce a hard copy report that includes for each date of dispensing of a controlled substance in Schedules II, III, IV, and V pursuant to the prescription all of the information described in subparagraphs (A) to (E), inclusive, of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 4040 of the Business and Professions Code and the name or identifier of the pharmacist who dispensed the controlled substance.
  (c) Notwithstanding Section 11164, if only recorded and stored electronically, on magnetic media, or in any other computerized form, the pharmacy's or hospital's computer system shall not permit the received information or the controlled substance dispensing information required by this section to be changed, obliterated, destroyed, or disposed of, for the record maintenance period required by law, once the information has been received by the pharmacy or the hospital and once the controlled substance has been dispensed, respectively. Once the controlled substance has been dispensed, if the previously created record is determined to be incorrect, a correcting addition may be made only by or with the approval of a pharmacist. After a pharmacist enters the change or enters his or her approval of the change into the computer, the resulting record shall include the correcting addition and the date it was made to the record, the identity of the person or pharmacist making the correction, and the identity of the pharmacist approving the correction.
  (d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to exempt any pharmacy or hospital dispensing Schedule II controlled substances pursuant to electronic transmission prescriptions from existing reporting requirements.

(a) To assist health care practitioners in their efforts to ensure appropriate prescribing, ordering, administering, furnishing, and dispensing of controlled substances, law enforcement and regulatory agencies in their efforts to control the diversion and resultant abuse of Schedule II, Schedule III, and Schedule IV controlled substances, and for statistical analysis, education, and research, the Department of Justice shall, contingent upon the availability of adequate funds in the CURES Fund, maintain the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) for the electronic monitoring of, and Internet access to information regarding, the prescribing and dispensing of Schedule II, Schedule III, and Schedule IV controlled substances by all practitioners authorized to prescribe, order, administer, furnish, or dispense these controlled substances.
  (b) The Department of Justice may seek and use grant funds to pay the costs incurred by the operation and maintenance of CURES. The department shall annually report to the Legislature and make available to the public the amount and source of funds it receives for support of CURES.
  (c) (1) The operation of CURES shall comply with all applicable federal and state privacy and security laws and regulations.
  (2) CURES shall operate under existing provisions of law to safeguard the privacy and confidentiality of patients. Data obtained from CURES shall only be provided to appropriate state, local, and federal public agencies for disciplinary, civil, or criminal purposes and to other agencies or entities, as determined by the Department of Justice, for the purpose of educating practitioners and others in lieu of disciplinary, civil, or criminal actions. Data may be provided to public or private entities, as approved by the Department of Justice, for educational, peer review, statistical, or research purposes, provided that patient information, including any information that may identify the patient, is not compromised. Further, data disclosed to any individual or agency as described in this subdivision shall not be disclosed, sold, or transferred to any third party. The Department of Justice shall establish policies, procedures, and regulations regarding the use, access, evaluation, management, implementation, operation, storage, disclosure, and security of the information within CURES, consistent with this subdivision.
  (d) For each prescription for a Schedule II, Schedule III, or Schedule IV controlled substance, as defined in the controlled substances schedules in federal law and regulations, specifically Sections 1308.12, 1308.13, and 1308.14, respectively, of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the dispensing pharmacy, clinic, or other dispenser shall report the following information to the Department of Justice as soon as reasonably possible, but not more than seven days after the date a controlled substance is dispensed, in a format specified by the Department of Justice:
  (1) Full name, address, and, if available, telephone number of the ultimate user or research subject, or contact information as determined by the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and the gender, and date of birth of the ultimate user.
  (2) The prescriber's category of licensure, license number, national provider identifier (NPI) number, if applicable, the federal controlled substance registration number, and the state medical license number of any prescriber using the federal controlled substance registration number of a government-exempt facility.
  (3) Pharmacy prescription number, license number, NPI number, and federal controlled substance registration number.
  (4) National Drug Code (NDC) number of the controlled substance dispensed.
  (5) Quantity of the controlled substance dispensed.
  (6) International Statistical Classification of Diseases, 9th revision (ICD-9) or 10th revision (ICD-10) Code, if available.
  (7) Number of refills ordered.
  (8) Whether the drug was dispensed as a refill of a prescription or as a first-time request.
  (9) Date of origin of the prescription.
  (10) Date of dispensing of the prescription.
  (e) The Department of Justice may invite stakeholders to assist, advise, and make recommendations on the establishment of rules and regulations necessary to ensure the proper administration and enforcement of the CURES database. All prescriber and dispenser invitees shall be licensed by one of the boards or committees identified in subdivision (d) of Section 208 of the Business and Professions Code, in active practice in California, and a regular user of CURES.
  (f) The Department of Justice shall, prior to upgrading CURES, consult with prescribers licensed by one of the boards or committees identified in subdivision (d) of Section 208 of the Business and Professions Code, one or more of the boards or committees identified in subdivision (d) of Section 208 of the Business and Professions Code, and any other stakeholder identified by the department, for the purpose of identifying desirable capabilities and upgrades to the CURES Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP).
  (g) The Department of Justice may establish a process to educate authorized subscribers of the CURES PDMP on how to access and use the CURES PDMP.

(a) (1) (A) (i) A health care practitioner authorized to prescribe, order, administer, furnish, or dispense Schedule II, Schedule III, or Schedule IV controlled substances pursuant to Section 11150 shall, before July 1, 2016, or upon receipt of a federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration, whichever occurs later, submit an application developed by the Department of Justice to obtain approval to access information online regarding the controlled substance history of a patient that is stored on the Internet and maintained within the Department of Justice, and, upon approval, the department shall release to that practitioner the electronic history of controlled substances dispensed to an individual under his or her care based on data contained in the CURES Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP).
  (ii) A pharmacist shall, before July 1, 2016, or upon licensure, whichever occurs later, submit an application developed by the Department of Justice to obtain approval to access information online regarding the controlled substance history of a patient that is stored on the Internet and maintained within the Department of Justice, and, upon approval, the department shall release to that pharmacist the electronic history of controlled substances dispensed to an individual under his or her care based on data contained in the CURES PDMP.
  (B) An application may be denied, or a subscriber may be suspended, for reasons which include, but are not limited to, the following:
  (i) Materially falsifying an application for a subscriber.
  (ii) Failure to maintain effective controls for access to the patient activity report.
  (iii) Suspended or revoked federal DEA registration.
  (iv) Any subscriber who is arrested for a violation of law governing controlled substances or any other law for which the possession or use of a controlled substance is an element of the crime.
  (v) Any subscriber accessing information for any other reason than caring for his or her patients.
  (C) Any authorized subscriber shall notify the Department of Justice within 30 days of any changes to the subscriber account.
  (2) A health care practitioner authorized to prescribe, order, administer, furnish, or dispense Schedule II, Schedule III, or Schedule IV controlled substances pursuant to Section 11150 or a pharmacist shall be deemed to have complied with paragraph (1) if the licensed health care practitioner or pharmacist has been approved to access the CURES database through the process developed pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 209 of the Business and Professions Code.
  (b) Any request for, or release of, a controlled substance history pursuant to this section shall be made in accordance with guidelines developed by the Department of Justice.
  (c) In order to prevent the inappropriate, improper, or illegal use of Schedule II, Schedule III, or Schedule IV controlled substances, the Department of Justice may initiate the referral of the history of controlled substances dispensed to an individual based on data contained in CURES to licensed health care practitioners, pharmacists, or both, providing care or services to the individual.
  (d) The history of controlled substances dispensed to an individual based on data contained in CURES that is received by a practitioner or pharmacist from the Department of Justice pursuant to this section shall be considered medical information subject to the provisions of the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act contained in Part 2.6 (commencing with Section 56) of Division 1 of the Civil Code.
  (e) Information concerning a patient's controlled substance history provided to a prescriber or pharmacist pursuant to this section shall include prescriptions for controlled substances listed in Sections 1308.12, 1308.13, and 1308.14 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(a) The Department of Justice may conduct audits of the CURES Prescription Drug Monitoring Program system and its users.
  (b) The Department of Justice may establish, by regulation, a system for the issuance to a CURES Prescription Drug Monitoring Program subscriber of a citation which may contain an order of abatement, or an order to pay an administrative fine assessed by the Department of Justice if the subscriber is in violation of any provision of this chapter or any regulation adopted by the Department of Justice pursuant to this chapter.
  (c) The system shall contain the following provisions:
  (1) Citations shall be in writing and shall describe with particularity the nature of the violation, including specific reference to the provision of law or regulation of the department determined to have been violated.
  (2) Whenever appropriate, the citation shall contain an order of abatement establishing a reasonable time for abatement of the violation.
  (3) In no event shall the administrative fine assessed by the department exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for each violation. In assessing a fine, due consideration shall be given to the appropriateness of the amount of the fine with respect to such factors as the gravity of the violation, the good faith of the subscribers, and the history of previous violations.
  (4) An order of abatement or a fine assessment issued pursuant to a citation shall inform the subscriber that if the subscriber desires a hearing to contest the finding of a violation, a hearing shall be requested by written notice to the CURES Prescription Drug Monitoring Program within 30 days of the date of issuance of the citation or assessment. Hearings shall be held pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
  (5) In addition to requesting a hearing, the subscriber may, within 10 days after service of the citation, request in writing an opportunity for an informal conference with the department regarding the citation. At the conclusion of the informal conference, the department may affirm, modify, or dismiss the citation, including any fine levied or order of abatement issued. The decision shall be deemed to be a final order with regard to the citation issued, including the fine levied or the order of abatement which could include permanent suspension to the system, a monetary fine, or both, depending on the gravity of the violation. However, the subscriber does not waive its right to request a hearing to contest a citation by requesting an informal conference. If the citation is affirmed, a formal hearing may be requested within 30 days of the date the citation was affirmed. If the citation is dismissed after the informal conference, the request for a hearing on the matter of the citation shall be deemed to be withdrawn. If the citation, including any fine levied or order of abatement, is modified, the citation originally issued shall be considered withdrawn and a new citation issued. If a hearing is requested for a subsequent citation, it shall be requested within 30 days of service of that subsequent citation.
  (6) Failure of a subscriber to pay a fine within 30 days of the date of assessment or comply with an order of abatement within the fixed time, unless the citation is being appealed, may result in disciplinary action taken by the department. If a citation is not contested and a fine is not paid, the subscriber account will be terminated:
  (A) A citation may be issued without the assessment of an administrative fine.
  (B) Assessment of administrative fines may be limited to only particular violations of law or department regulations.
  (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a fine is paid to satisfy an assessment based on the finding of a violation, payment of the fine shall be represented as a satisfactory resolution of the matter for purposes of public disclosure.
  (e) Administrative fines collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the CURES Program Special Fund, available upon appropriation by the Legislature. These special funds shall provide support for costs associated with informal and formal hearings, maintenance, and updates to the CURES Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.
  (f) The sanctions authorized under this section shall be separate from, and in addition to, any other administrative, civil, or criminal remedies; however, a criminal action may not be initiated for a specific offense if a citation has been issued pursuant to this section for that offense, and a citation may not be issued pursuant to this section for a specific offense if a criminal action for that offense has been filed.
  (g) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prevent the department from serving and prosecuting an accusation to suspend or revoke a subscriber if grounds for that suspension or revocation exist.

The theft or loss of prescription forms shall be reported immediately by the security printer or affected prescriber to the CURES Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, but no later than three days after the discovery of the theft or loss. This notification may be done in writing utilizing the approved Department of Justice form or may be reported by the authorized subscriber through the CURES Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.

(a) The Department of Justice may seek voluntarily contributed private funds from insurers, health care service plans, qualified manufacturers, and other donors for the purpose of supporting CURES. Insurers, health care service plans, qualified manufacturers, and other donors may contribute by submitting their payment to the Controller for deposit into the CURES Fund established pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 208 of the Business and Professions Code. The department shall make information about the amount and the source of all private funds it receives for support of CURES available to the public. Contributions to the CURES Fund pursuant to this subdivision shall be nondeductible for state tax purposes.
  (b) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
  (1) "Controlled substance" means a drug, substance, or immediate precursor listed in any schedule in Section 11055, 11056, or 11057 of the Health and Safety Code.
  (2) "Health care service plan" means an entity licensed pursuant to the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975 (Chapter 2.2 (commencing with Section 1340) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code).
  (3) "Insurer" means an admitted insurer writing health insurance, as defined in Section 106 of the Insurance Code, and an admitted insurer writing workers' compensation insurance, as defined in Section 109 of the Insurance Code.
  (4) "Qualified manufacturer" means a manufacturer of a controlled substance, but does not mean a wholesaler or nonresident wholesaler of dangerous drugs, regulated pursuant to Article 11 (commencing with Section 4160) of Chapter 9 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, a veterinary food-animal drug retailer, regulated pursuant to Article 15 (commencing with Section 4196) of Chapter 9 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, or an individual regulated by the Medical Board of California, the Dental Board of California, the California State Board of Pharmacy, the Veterinary Medical Board, the Board of Registered Nursing, the Physician Assistant Committee of the Medical Board of California, the Osteopathic Medical Board of California, the State Board of Optometry, or the California Board of Podiatric Medicine.

No person shall fill a prescription for a controlled substance after six months has elapsed from the date written on the prescription by the prescriber. No person shall knowingly fill a mutilated or forged or altered prescription for a controlled substance except for the addition of the address of the person for whom the controlled substance is prescribed as provided by paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 11164.

Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 11164, in an emergency where failure to issue a prescription may result in loss of life or intense suffering, an order for a controlled substance may be dispensed on an oral order, an electronic data transmission order, or a written order not made on a controlled substance form as specified in Section 11162.1, subject to all of the following requirements:
  (a) The order contains all information required by subdivision (a) of Section 11164.
  (b) Any written order is signed and dated by the prescriber in ink, and the pharmacy reduces any oral or electronic data transmission order to hard copy form prior to dispensing the controlled substance.
  (c) The prescriber provides a written prescription on a controlled substance prescription form that meets the requirements of Section 11162.1, by the seventh day following the transmission of the initial order; a postmark by the seventh day following transmission of the initial order shall constitute compliance.
  (d) If the prescriber fails to comply with subdivision (c), the pharmacy shall so notify the Department of Justice in writing within 144 hours of the prescriber's failure to do so and shall make and retain a hard copy, readily retrievable record of the prescription, including the date and method of notification of the Department of Justice.
  (e) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2005.

(a) An order for a controlled substance classified in Schedule II for a patient of a licensed skilled nursing facility, a licensed intermediate care facility, a licensed home health agency, or a licensed hospice may be dispensed upon an oral or electronically transmitted prescription. If the prescription is transmitted orally, the pharmacist shall, prior to filling the prescription, reduce the prescription to writing in ink in the handwriting of the pharmacist on a form developed by the pharmacy for this purpose. If the prescription is transmitted electronically, the pharmacist shall, prior to filling the prescription, produce, sign, and date a hard copy prescription. The prescriptions shall contain the date the prescription was orally or electronically transmitted by the prescriber, the name of the person for whom the prescription was authorized, the name and address of the licensed skilled nursing facility, licensed intermediate care facility, licensed home health agency, or licensed hospice in which that person is a patient, the name and quantity of the controlled substance prescribed, the directions for use, and the name, address, category of professional licensure, license number, and federal controlled substance registration number of the prescriber. The original shall be properly endorsed by the pharmacist with the pharmacy's state license number, the name and address of the pharmacy, and the signature of the person who received the controlled substances for the licensed skilled nursing facility, licensed intermediate care facility, licensed home health agency, or licensed hospice. A licensed skilled nursing facility, a licensed intermediate care facility, a licensed home health agency, or a licensed hospice shall forward to the dispensing pharmacist a copy of any signed telephone orders, chart orders, or related documentation substantiating each oral or electronically transmitted prescription transaction under this section.
  (b) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2004.

No person shall prescribe, administer, or furnish a controlled substance for himself.

No person shall prescribe, administer, or furnish a controlled substance except under the conditions and in the manner provided by this division.

No person shall antedate or postdate a prescription.

(a) No person shall obtain or attempt to obtain controlled substances, or procure or attempt to procure the administration of or prescription for controlled substances, (1) by fraud, deceit, misrepresentation , or subterfuge; or (2) by the concealment of a material fact.
  (b) No person shall make a false statement in any prescription, order, report, or record, required by this division.
  (c) No person shall, for the purpose of obtaining controlled substances, falsely assume the title of, or represent himself to be, a manufacturer, wholesaler, pharmacist, physician, dentist, veterinarian, registered nurse, physician's assistant, or other authorized person.
  (d) No person shall affix any false or forged label to a package or receptacle containing controlled substances.

No person shall, in connection with the prescribing, furnishing, administering, or dispensing of a controlled substance, give a false name or false address.

No person shall obtain or possess a prescription that does not comply with this division, nor shall any person obtain a controlled substance by means of a prescription which does not comply with this division or possess a controlled substance obtained by such a prescription.

A person who fills a prescription shall keep it on file for at least three years from the date of filling it.

No person shall obtain or possess a controlled substance obtained by a prescription that does not comply with this division.