Transfer of Prescription or Medication Order Information

PURPOSE: This rule defines record-keeping required for transfer of prescription or medication order information. (1) A valid new or refill prescription or medication order may be transferred to another pharmacy if— (A) The prescription, medication order, and/or refills were authorized by the prescriber; (B) The prescription or medication order and/or refills have not exceeded the maximum allowable time limit; (C) If refills are involved, the number of lawfully allowable refills has not been exceeded; (D) If the transfer involves a controlled substance, all information must be transferred directly between two (2) licensed pharmacists and comply with all applicable state and federal controlled substance laws and regulations; and (E) The transfer of information for a controlled substance is permissible between pharmacies on a one- (1-) time basis only. However, pharmacies electronically sharing a real-time, online database may transfer up to the maximum refills permitted by law and the prescriber’s authorization. (2) The following record-keeping is required when a prescription, medication order, or refill is transferred: (A) The prescription record at the transferring pharmacy must show— 1. The word void must appear on the face of the invalidated prescription for pharmacies using a manual record-keeping system. For pharmacies using an electronic data processing system, the prescription or medication order must be promptly voided within the system; 2. The name and location of the pharmacy to which it was transferred, the date of transfer, and the identity of the persons transferring and receiving information; and 3. If the transfer involves a controlled substance, the receiving pharmacy’s address and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration number and the full name of the pharmacist(s) transferring and receiving the prescription information; and (B) The record at the receiving pharmacy shall show all of the following, in addition to all other lawfully required information: 1. An indication that the prescription or medication order is a transfer; 2. Date of issuance; 3. Date of first dispensing; 4. Number of refills originally authorized and the number of remaining refills; 5. Date of last refill; 6. Prescription number or other unique identifier; 7. The name and location of the pharmacy that transferred the prescription or medication order; 8. The identity of the individuals transferring and receiving the information; 9. If the transfer involves a controlled substance, the transferring pharmacy’s address and DEA registration number and the full names of the pharmacists transferring and receiving the prescription or medication order information; and 10. If the transfer involves information for a prescription or medication order that has never been dispensed, the date of first dispensing, the date of last refill, and the prescription number/unique identifier are not required. (3) An electronic transfer of prescription or medication order between licensed pharmacies must meet all of the requirements of this rule. However, licensed pharmacies that share the same electronic database and are under the same ownership are not required to record the identities of the persons receiving and transferring non-controlled information. (4) A Class-C Long Term Care pharmacy may transfer a noncontrolled prescription or medication order to a second pharmacy for the purpose of the initial dispensing of up to a seventy-two- (72-) hour medication supply to a long-term care facility patient without voiding the remaining prescription. The transferring pharmacy must deduct this amount from the remaining prescription or medication order but is not required to void it. (5) A prescription or medication order must be transferred within one (1) business day of receiving a transfer request directly from a patient or their caretaker. All other transfer requests must be completed in a timely manner, provided licensees/permit holders shall ensure no interruption in patient therapy. AUTHORITY: sections 338.100 and 338.280, RSMo 2016, and section 338.140, RSMo Supp. 2020.* This rule originally filed as 4 CSR 2202.120. Original rule filed April 16, 1985, effective Aug. 11, 1985. Amended: Filed May 2, 1989, effective Aug. 24, 1989. Amended: Filed April 23, 1998, effective Nov. 30, 1998. Amended: Filed July 28, 2000, effective Jan. 30, 2001. Moved to 20 CSR 2220-2.120, effective Aug. 28, 2006. Amended: Filed Feb. 6, 2008, effective Aug. 30, 2008. Amended: Filed April 11, 2019, effective Nov. 30, 2019. Amended: Filed Oct. 29, 2020, effective May 30, 2021. *Original authority: 338.100, RSMo 1939, amended 1971, 1990, 1997, 1999, 2010, 2016; 338.140, RSMo 1939, amended 1981, 1989, 1997, 2011, 2019; and 338.280, RSMo 1951, amended 1971, 1981.