# Legality of FedExing controlled substances

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-fedexing-controlled-substances/253893>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 7, 2004, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-fedexing-controlled-substances/253893 "2004-07-07T02:04:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-fedexing-controlled-substances/253893/21 "2004-07-08T02:22:17Z")

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If this doesn’t get there, you might try hooking up with a prescriptions-by-mail pharmacy. SOP for controlled substance prescriptions is that the pharmacy faxes an Rx form to the doctor’s office (confirming with a third-party subscription service that that fax number really belongs to the doctor), which the doctor fills out and faxes back to a secure fax line at the PBM pharmacy. If you’re willing to pay the overnight shipping charges, turnaround can be just a couple days.

I don’t know if this works for Schedule II medications, but it’s worth looking into, I think.

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-fedexing-controlled-substances/253893/22 "2004-07-08T02:38:20Z")

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> [@SCSimmons](#):
>
> I don’t know if this works for Schedule II medications, but it’s worth looking into, I think.

I don’t believe this is acceptable for schedule II drugs. The actual prescriptions must be mailed into the mail order pharmacy, IIRC.

> [@](#):
>
> Internet pharmacy sites may vary in the services they provide, but they may fill a prescription for a controlled substance which was issued to you by an authorized practitioner for a legitimate medical purpose. They should confirm the legitimacy of the prescription for a Schedule III-V controlled substance before filling it by contacting the prescriber. **They are not authorized to fill a prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance unless they have first received the original signed prescription.**

From the [DEA website](http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/fed_regs/notices/2001/fr0427.htm) regarding internet pharmacies

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**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-fedexing-controlled-substances/253893/23 "2004-07-08T03:59:27Z")

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**QtM** doesn’t need my agreement here, but I’m giving it. He knows his stuff.

CII’s cannot be faxed in most states (New York is infamously strict regarding controls) depending on the level of control there are many limiting factors. These include, Rx expiration date, refill amounts (if any), max daily dosages, method of submission, diagnosis reasons, and concomminant therapy interaction restrictions.

I guess I should have said in my initial reply that FedEx and UPS both ship CV’s through CII’s every day. They’re also very usefull for temperature-sensitive meds. If one needs to ship such (or any) meds across borders though, you might want to talk with customs.

Sorry **Queen Tonya** , I automatically went off on my explaination of controlled meds, I hope you didn’t take offense. I’m sure you know how these things work, and don’t need a lecture. I keep forgetting that there are people that actually already know the stuff that I have to explain to people for hours at a time.

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