More Unnecessary Regulation.

[Rageaholic]

Went to fill in a prescription today. I find out that I can't fill it because it's been written more than 90 days ago (about 100 to be exact). Apparently, there's a new state law that says prescriptions expire after 90 days.

W. T. F.

First of all, what does it matter if it's 90 days or 1 year? If I have the prescription, than that's all the they should need. Why does it even have to expire in the first place? Second of all, why does the state even care? It's bad enough that they like to regulate things that they have no business regulating, but I don't even see how this specific regulation does anything but make things harder for people. I'm just lucky my life didn't depend on this medicine.

Just another thing our government likes to stick their noses in.

[Eisa]

I think it should probably depend on the prescription...for example, you shouldn't need an antibiotics prescription more than 90 days after it's been written...

But for a lot of them, I don't think it makes much sense.

[DrFaroohk]

But that's what makes people feel safe at night! Now that you can't get your meds, crime is completely solved and no one ever dies again. Ever.

[Andara Bledin]

I would think that many prescriptions would be fairly obsolete if you waited over 3 months to fill them.

Also, I do wonder what would cause a person to get a prescription and then not have it filled for so long.

^-.-^

[linguist]

Also, I do wonder what would cause a person to get a prescription and then not have it filled for so long.

^-.-^

this is what i would wonder as well. if i was a pharmacy tech and someone brought in a prescription that old, particularly if it was for a potentially abusable drug, my first thought would be doctor shopping.

[Rageaholic]

They're monthly prescriptions. I only go to the doctor every 4 months. This particular one was only a few days past the 90 day deadline.

[HYHYBT]

Still seems odd that it would be separate prescriptions rather than a single one with refills... or do those expire too?

[telecom_goddess]

actually prescriptions tend to expire after a year I thought...mine that have refills expire about a year after they were first setup, with so many refills allowed in that year's time. So if I don't get those refills in during the year I have to start over with a new prescription.

I am curious as to why you're filling a monthly prescription a little over 3 months later?

[Rageaholic]

Still seems odd that it would be separate prescriptions rather than a single one with refills... or do those expire too?

This one isn't refillable.

actually prescriptions tend to expire after a year I thought...mine that have refills expire about a year after they were first setup, with so many refills allowed in that year's time. So if I don't get those refills in during the year I have to start over with a new prescription.

I am curious as to why you're filling a monthly prescription a little over 3 months later?

Because I go to the doctor to get the prescriptions every 4 months. That's 4 monthly prescriptions each visit so I'm going to fill the last one around 3 months after I'm given them. I assume it's a new law because I've never had this problem until now.

[Andara Bledin]

Is there a regulatory reason why your prescription isn't refillable, or is it just something the doctor is doing?

The way you go tells me that you need one prescription that will last a month with 3 refills as opposed to 4 separate one-month prescriptions with no refills.

^-.-^

[Rageaholic]

Is there a regulatory reason why your prescription isn't refillable, or is it just something the doctor is doing?

The way you go tells me that you need one prescription that will last a month with 3 refills as opposed to 4 separate one-month prescriptions with no refills.

^-.-^

Not sure, but I think it's regulatory which if true makes the law even stupider.

[radiocerk]

If I'm thinking of the proper class of medication, no refills allowed, at all. That class of med in my state can be written for 3 monthly written prescriptions, but I wasn't aware that there were any states that did 4 months at a time. Maybe the legislation was to bring all of that class of medication into a national guideline?

Drug law is always one of the trickiest parts of pharmacy. I moved states and had to learn everything all over again.

[Greenday]

I know NJ has had laws against prescriptions being filled for ones written a few months previously.

And the law makes plenty of sense. I mean, for antibiotics, why would you wait three months to fill it? For pain pills, if you were in enough pain to get them prescribed now, why did you wait three months? Etc.

[LadyBarbossa]

Is there any way you could have your doctor call, fax, or e-scribe the Rx to your pharmacy?

[Rageaholic]

Is there any way you could have your doctor call, fax, or e-scribe the Rx to your pharmacy?

It's taken care of now, but at the time I couldn't because she wasn't in for the weekend. It was just a series of unfortunate events, but it all could have been avoided had the government not made such stupid restrictive rules.