Who is authorized to hand out prescriptions? In the state of Texas, the only people who are allowed to write prescriptions are doctors of medicine (MD or DO), dentists (DDS), podiatrists (DPM), and veterinarians (DVM). It is also possible for therapeutic optometrists to write prescriptions for specific eye drops or ointments, and if the optometrist has the appropriate credentials to practice as an optometric glaucoma specialist, the optometrist may even be able to write prescriptions for certain oral medicines.
Under the direction of a supervising physician and in accordance with a published protocol, advanced practice nurses (APN) or physician assistants (PA) may dispense prescriptions. Both advanced practice nurses and physician assistants have completed specialized training and education to enable them to diagnose and treat patients.
When the pharmacist goes to fill my prescription, why does she need more information first? Before a prescription may be filled, the law mandates that it must contain a specific amount of information. It is the responsibility of the pharmacist to ensure that the prescription has all of the necessary information.
- As a result, the pharmacist or another employee of the drugstore may ask you for information that is not necessarily included on the prescription;
- For instance, they may ask for your full name and/or address;
In addition, prior to filling the prescription, the pharmacist is obligated to do a screening, often known as a review, of both the prescription and your patient medication record. In order for the pharmacist to carry out this check, also known as a drug use review (DUR), he or she will inquire about several fundamental aspects of your health, including the following:
Your age or date of birth; any known allergies, previous drug reactions, chronic conditions; names of other drugs you may be routinely taking, including over-the-counter drugs such as Tylenol, aspirin, antacids, etc.; names of any supplements or any complementary or alternative medicines such as probiotics, herbs, acupuncture, etc.
your sex or gender; your age; your date of birth; any known allergies; any previous drug reactions; any chronic conditions; names of other drugs
This medication record for the patient provides the pharmacist with assistance in recognizing drug-related issues, such as
Drug allergies, interactions with other medications that you are taking, improper dose or duration of therapy, therapeutic duplication with other medications that are being taken, and inappropriate usage of a medication are all examples of potential adverse drug reactions.
A patient has the ability to decline providing the pharmacist with any portion or all of the aforementioned information.
However, if the patient does not provide this information to the pharmacist, the patient will not be able to benefit from the screening that the pharmacist will perform to identify any possible issues that may have an impact on the patient’s health. Please be aware that the pharmacist is obligated to preserve the confidentiality of any and all patient information.
Why does the pharmacist occasionally contact my doctor before refilling my medications, and what is the purpose of this call? If the prescribing physician has not given their permission, the pharmacist is not allowed to refill the prescription.
On the initial prescription, a physician may choose to allow no refills, one refill, many refills, or none at all. When a pharmacist attempts to refill a prescription after the patient has already used all of the refills that were permitted on the first prescription, they are required to get permission from the prescribing physician.
Even though your physician may want you to take the prescribed medication for an extended period of time, he or she may still want to monitor your drug therapy by asking the pharmacist to call at each refilling of the prescription.
Calling your pharmacy a few days before you run out of your prescription will help your pharmacist and keep you from having to wait in line for your refill. If there are no more refills available, your pharmacist will have time to inquire with your primary care physician about receiving permission to renew your prescription.
- It is against the law to refill prescriptions for drugs that are on Schedule II;
- If your doctor wants you to continue taking a Schedule II medicine after the initial prescription has been filled, he or she will need to issue you a fresh, written prescription for the medication;
Consult your local pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns regarding the refilling of a prescription. I need my prescription filled, but is the pharmacist compelled to do so? A pharmacist may choose not to fill a customer’s prescription for a variety of reasons, including the following:
The pharmacist believes that an excessive quantity has been prescribed; the pharmacist has reason to believe that the prescription wasn’t issued by the doctor whose name appears on the prescription; or the pharmacist has reason to believe that the prescription wasn’t issued by the doctor whose name appears on the prescription.
In the event that a pharmacist has any uncertainties regarding the clinical appropriateness or legality of a prescription, it is his or her duty to consult with the prescribing physician for more information.
Before you take the drug, the pharmacist will undertake this essential and decisive examination first so that they can ensure its safety. I need to know if a physician may offer me an open prescription or permit my current medication to be renewed forever.
No. Prescriptions are only valid for a certain amount of time according to the law. Prescriptions often become invalid either six months or one year after the date the prescription was initially written, depending on the medication. Even if there are still refills available on the initial prescription, the pharmacist is required to acquire permission from the prescribing physician before continuing to refill the prescription after the prescription has expired.
In the event that my prescription permits for refills, is it possible for me to receive all of the refills at once? Depends. Only the quantity of medication that is specified on the patient’s prescription can be dispensed by the pharmacist.
When deciding whether or not to re-fill a prescription, the pharmacist is also required to take into account how long the medication should continue to be effective (based on the dosage instructions and the amount that was dispensed), and the prescription can only be refilled after an adequate amount of time has passed since the last time it was refilled.
In spite of this, a pharmacist is allowed to dispense up to a 90-day supply of certain medications in response to a valid prescription that calls for the initial dispensing of a smaller quantity, followed by periodic refills of the same quantity, as long as the following conditions are met: the medication in question is not a psychotropic; the patient is at least 18 years old; the prescribing doctor has not indicated on the prescription that dispensing the prescription in an initial quantity, followed by periodic refills, If my prescription was written by a physician in another state or even another country, is it possible for a local pharmacy to fulfill the order? Yes, under certain situations.
If a genuine doctor-patient relationship already exists, a prescription from a doctor licensed in another state who is not licensed in Texas can be filled in Texas even though the doctor in question is not licensed in Texas.
The majority of the time, we are unable to fill prescriptions that have been written by doctors in other countries. A Texas pharmacy may fill a prescription for a non-controlled medicine written by a physician located in Canada or Mexico if the prescription is written down and presented to the pharmacist.
- It is against the law in the state of Texas to fill a prescription for a restricted substance that was written by a medical practitioner in either Canada or Mexico.
Can I bring back a prescription to the pharmacy where it was filled? In all likelihood, the answer is no;
After a prescription has left the pharmacy, the pharmacist no longer has any way of knowing whether or not the product is still risk-free. Because of this, the legislation in the state prevents the pharmacist from accepting the return of a prescription medicine, in whole or in part, and then utilizing the substance to fill another prescription.
This is done in the interest of ensuring the general public’s safety. Consider the problem in the following light: Would it be OK to you for the medicine that you buy from the pharmacy to be medication that was previously returned by another customer? Can I take my prescription with me to a different drugstore if I change my mind? It is possible for a pharmacist to hand off a prescription and any outstanding refills to a colleague working in a different drugstore, but only under specified circumstances.
However, once a prescription is moved, the original pharmacy’s copy of the prescription is rendered null and worthless, and it may no longer be renewed there. This restriction applies even if the prescription is subsequently transferred back to the original pharmacy.
If I ask for a copy of my prescription, would the pharmacist be able to provide it to me? There is a possibility that a pharmacist will provide you with a copy of your prescription. On the other hand, a reproduction of a prescription can be used for educational or research reasons alone.
A duplicate prescription cannot be used to get a medication from a pharmacist for dispensing purposes. The information on a copy can be used by a pharmacist to contact your physician about obtaining a fresh prescription for you.
What happens if I don’t pick up my prescription at Walgreens?
It is likely that a prescription that has been filled but has not been picked up within seven days will be returned to the shelf.
How will I know when my prescription is ready Walmart?
After verifying your online access to your Walmart Pharmacy account, you will be able to view your Walmart prescriptions on the website and in the Wellness app; this includes the ability to order refills, check the status of orders, review order histories, and access a COVID-19 digital vaccine record online.