Legislators consider banning paper prescriptions to deter drug abuse

Legislators in the US state of Iowa are considering legislation that will require electronic, rather than paper, issuing of most drugs prescriptions. The pharmaceutical industry supports the proposal, which is seen as an effective method of preventing patients from copying or altering written prescriptions to acquire extra medication, and will it help to prevent pharmacists misinterpreting prescriptions.

State Senator Tom Greene, a retired pharmacist, introduced the proposed legislation on Tuesday. He said that making the switch was a “pressing issue” that should be implemented as soon as possible.

The Iowa Board of Pharmacy recommended the proposed legislation in response to the growing concern about drug addiction, especially opioid addiction. The board wants Iowa to join New York and Minnesota in mandating that most prescriptions issued by physicians are submitted to pharmacies electronically. Connecticut, Maine, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Virginia have regulations that require electronic filing of prescriptions for all addictive drugs.

The board’s Executive Director Andrew Funk said that currently 65% of prescriptions for non-addictive drugs were filed electronically, but only 9% of prescriptions for addictive drugs were handled the same way.

The proposed electronic prescription legislation contains several exemptions. Paper prescriptions could still be allowed for nursing home patients and prison inmates, as well as for veterinary drugs. In the event of computer crashes, paper prescriptions would be allowed, and electronic prescriptions would not be required in situations where transmission was “impractical”, including lengthy or complicated instructions for using the prescribed drug.

The proposed date for the legislation is 1 July 2019.