Can Doctors write prescriptions to themselves?
If so what prevents abuse?
It is illegal in most, if not all states, for doctors to write for scheduled or controlled substances for themselves. These are the drugs regulated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, and are primarily of a mood-altering nature, ie. Morphine, valium, amphetamines, etc. Local laws make self-prescribing of controlled substances a felony in many cases.
Docs can self-prescribe other meds, like insulin, blood pressure therapies, etc. but it’s considered poor form to initiate such treatment on oneself.
It is considered a questionable practice for a physician to prescribe controlled substances for a family member, unless it is an emergency situation, but I don’t believe it’s actually illegal.
It is illegal however to prescribe without doing an exam (at some point in the doctor/patient relationship) and documenting the encounter and the drug prescribed. This is why I do not prescribe for co-workers who hit me up in the hallways for their migraine meds or antibiotics for their coughs, unless I can fulfill the documentation requirements, and I usually can’t, unless they’re also my patients.
All of the above doesn’t even touch the issue of doctor abuse/addiction, but let me just say briefly that the rate of alcoholism/chemical dependency is probably no greater in the physician population than in the general population, it just tends to be more accelerated, 'cuz they often get their hands on better drugs more often, despite the safeguards, and their crashes can be more high profile.
Qadgop, MD
Very interesting answer but is it at all enforceable?
I say this as when I fill a prescription I give a name and address but they don’t check.
If I’m Doctor Mark, and I write a valium prescription and walk into a pharmacy and say I’m Joe Blow, who checks.
I had a bad cough once and I stopped in Merrilleville Indiana at a clinic and they gave me a prescription which I didn’t fill till I got to Washington DC. No probs at all.
It’s not illegal in Kansas for doctors to write prescriptions for most anything for themselves, except “Schedule 2” drugs, whatever those are (according to Dr. SO). And all the Dr.'s I know here write their own scripts for anything they feel they need.
Keep paying cash for prescriptions and someone’s liable to get nosy.
My local house o’drugs has begun requesting patients sign a receipt when they pick up prescriptions. True, I signed in as Freddie Mercury last time and no one noticed (they were slow, I was in a hurry and pissed off).
Prescriptions for drugs of abuse do get spot-checked and abuses picked up. The licensing boards release lists of MDs disciplined for this problem, though my impression is you’re more likely to get caught if you’re a croaker writing illegal scrip for a number of junkies, rather than just yourself.
don’t know about the states, but down-under, S2 drugs don’t even need a prescription, hence the reason they can’t write one!! :wally
thinking S2’s over there are probably the opiates/DDA’s. (Drugs of Dependance) guess intelligent and brainy ppl like medico’s can still get an addiction too tho!
Markxxx, call a local pharmacy & ask them. Im sure they would be more than happy to answer your inquiry, then you can let us know.