Alabama Veterinary Rules Regarding Prescribing and Dispensing Drugs

On the blog we will start taking a look at specific state laws and regulations regarding the prescribing and dispensing of animal drugs.  First we will look at Alabama's laws.  They currently have proposed changes that can be found here.  A hearing is scheduled for October 10, 2012.  The rules related to prescribing and dispensing drugs with changes red lined are below:
 

RULE NUMBER:  930-X-1-.11

TITLE OF RULE:  PRESCRIBING AND DISPENSING DRUGS.

(1)      A licensed veterinarian shall not prescribe or dispense, deliver or ordered delivered:

           (a)   Any drug or medicinal agent carrying the legend “Federal (USFDA) law restricts this drug to the use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian” to be administered to animals with which he or she has not established a patient-veterinarian veterinary-client-patient relationship, or as defined by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

           (b)   Any controlled substance as defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration without first having established a patient-veterinarian veterinary-client-patient relationship

 

(2)    Patient-veterinarian veterinary-client-patient relationship by having personally established the individual animal, herd or representative segment or consignment lot thereof and determined that such controlled substance is therapeutically indicated following said examination.

 

(3)     Any veterinarian who violates this rule shall be guilty of unprofessional conduct within the meaning of this section.

 

(4)      Veterinarians retiring from or otherwise discontinuing the practice of veterinary medicine shall voluntarily surrender their Alabama State Controlled Substance Registration Number immediately and shall notify the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency of license status change, retirement or discontinuance of practice for instructions regarding their federal DEA Registration.

(5)      To protect children from serious personal injury or serious illness resulting from handling, using, or
ingesting controlled substances, legend drugs and other potentially harmful medicinal agents dispensed for animal use that is in a dosage form intended for oral administration shall be dispensed in childproof containers by all practitioners of veterinary medicine.  The containers are to be designed and constructed to be significantly difficult for children under 5 years of age to open or obtain a toxic or harmful amount of the substance contained therein.

 

(6)     All veterinarians must comply with Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) requirements.

(7) All veterinarians providing veterinary drugs and medicines for resale to veterinary practitioners and other

veterinary wholesalers must obtain an Alabama Board of Pharmacy’s Wholesale Veterinary Drug Distributor’s Permit.

Veterinary-client-patient relationship as used in this rule shall be defined as a relationship created by actual examination by the veterinarian of the annual or a representative segment of a consignment or herd.

 

Author:  Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners

Statutory Authority: Code of Alabama 1975, §34-29-69


RULE NUMBER:  930-X-1-.10
TITLE OF RULE:  RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT / GROUNDS OF DISCIPLINE

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(20) Upon complaint and within its discretion, the Board may revoke or suspend the license of or otherwise discipline any licensed veterinarian under this rule.  Grounds for disciplinary action shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

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 (ii)  Providing veterinary drugs and medicines for resale to veterinary practitioners and other
veterinary wholesalers without a Wholesale Veterinary Drug Distributor’s permit issued by the
Alabama Board of Pharmacy.