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Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
2015 SESSION
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 54.1-2522.1, as it shall become effective, of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 54.1-2522.2 as follows:
§ 54.1-2522.1. (Effective July 1, 2015) Requirements of prescribers.
A. Any prescriber who is licensed in the Commonwealth to treat
human patients and is authorized pursuant to §§ 54.1-3303 and 54.1-3408 to
issue a prescription for a covered substance shall be registered with the
Prescription Monitoring Program by the Department of Health Professions upon
filing an application for licensure or renewal of licensure, if the prescriber
is not already registered.
B. Prescribers registered with the Prescription Monitoring
Program shall, at the time of initiating a new course of treatment to a human
patient that includes the prescribing of benzodiazepine or an opiate
anticipated at the onset of treatment to last more than 90 consecutive
days and for which a treatment agreement is entered into, request
information from the Director for the purpose of determining what, if any,
other covered substances are currently prescribed to the patient. In addition,
any prescriber who holds a special identification number from the Drug
Enforcement Administration authorizing the prescribing of controlled substances
approved for use in opioid addiction therapy shall, prior to or as a part of
execution of a treatment agreement with the patient, request information from
the Director for the purpose of determining what, if any, other covered
substances the patient is currently being prescribed. Nothing in this section
shall prohibit prescribers from making additional periodic requests for
information from the Director as may be required by routine prescribing
practices.
C. The Secretary of Health and Human Resources may identify and publish a list of benzodiazepines or opiates that have a low potential for abuse by human patients. Prescribers who prescribe such identified benzodiazepines or opiates shall not be required to meet the provisions of subsection B. In addition, a prescriber shall not be required to meet the provisions of subsection B if the course of treatment arises from pain management relating to dialysis or cancer treatments.
§ 54.1-2522.2. Requirements for dispensers.
The Department shall register every dispenser licensed by the Board of Pharmacy pursuant to Article 3 (§ 54.1-3310 et seq.) of Chapter 33 with the Prescription Monitoring Program.
2. That the provisions of this act amending subsection A of § 54.1-2522.1 of the Code of Virginia and adding a section numbered 54.1-2522.2 shall become effective on January 1, 2016.