Section 8.12. Prescription orders transmitted by facsimile machine.

 

(1)   Prescription drugs other than schedule II controlled substances. A pharmacist may dispense a prescription drug, other than a schedule II controlled substance, pursuant to a prescription order transmitted by a facsimile machine from the practitioner or the practitioner's agent to the dispensing pharmacy if all of the following conditions are met:

(a) The transmitted facsimile prescription order shall contain all of the information required for a valid written prescription order. The order shall also contain the time and date of the transmission, as well as the telephone number and name of the transmitter.

(b) Unless the facsimile paper is non-fading, the facsimile prescription order received shall be duplicated by copy machine or other similar device and the copy must be physically attached to the order received.

(2)   Schedule II controlled substances. A pharmacist may not dispense a schedule II controlled substance pursuant to a prescription order transmitted by a facsimile machine unless all of the conditions stated in sub. (1) are satisfied, and any of the following conditions are met:

(a) The prescription order is written for a schedule II controlled substance to be compounded for the direct administration to a patient by parenteral, intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous or intraspinal infusion, and is transmitted by the practitioner or the practitioner's agent to the dispensing pharmacy by facsimile.

(b) The prescription order is written for a schedule II controlled substance for a patient who resides in a long term care facility, or who meets the eligibility requirements for placement in a long term care facility but elects to reside at home, and is transmitted by the practitioner or the practitioner's agent to the dispensing pharmacy by facsimile.

(c) The prescription order is written for a schedule II controlled substance for a patient enrolled in a hospice certified by medicare under Title XVIII or licensed by this state, and is transmitted by the practitioner or the practitioner's agent to the dispensing pharmacy by facsimile.

(3)   Prescription orders transmitted by facsimile considered written orders. For all purposes under chs. 450 and 961 , Stats., and the rules of the board, a prescription order transmitted by facsimile machine shall be considered the original written prescription order.

History: Cr. Register, December, 1998, No. 516 , eff. 1-1-99; CR 09-098 : am. (2) (b) Register May 2010 No. 653 , eff. 6-1-10.