Dispensing controlled substances in institutional practitioner emergency rooms--Drug Enforcement Administration. Notice of proposed rulemaking.
This is a proposal to amend Part 1306 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations to permit hospital emergency room personnel to dispense controlled substances to nonpatients when alternative pharmacy services are not available. Only persons authorized to dispense under state law would be permitted to dispense under the proposed regulation. Under current DEA regulations only physicians, medical or other persons acting as agents or employees under their direct supervision, or pharmacists filling their prescriptions, may dispense controlled substances. A physician may not call a local hospital emergency room and ask that personnel there dispense controlled substances to a patient whom the physician is sending over for that purpose alone. DEA has received numerous comments from members of the medical community and from state regulatory agencies concerning this matter. This proposal seeks to remedy the situation.
D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014481:United States