{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-218a.180","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 218A.180","heading":"Dispensing of controlled substance with prescription -- Duties of","body":"pharmacist -- Penalties.\n(1) Except when dispensed directly by a practitioner to an ultimate user, no controlled\nsubstance listed in Schedule II may be dispensed without the w ritten, facsimile,\nelectronic, or oral prescription of a practitioner. A prescription for a controlled\nsubstance listed in Schedule II may be dispensed by a facsimile prescription only as\nspecified in administrative regulations promulgated by the cabinet. A prescription\nfor a controlled substance listed in Schedule II may be dispensed by oral\nprescription only for immediate administration to a patient enrolled in a hospice\nprogram or a resident in a long -term care facility, as defined in KRS 216.535,\nexcluding a family care home, assisted living community as defined in KRS\n194A.700, or personal care home, and the practitioner determines that immediate\nadministration is necessary, no appropriate alternative treatment is available, and it\nis not reasonably pos sible for the prescriber to provide a written prescription. No\nprescription for a controlled substance in Schedule II shall be valid after sixty (60)\ndays from the date issued. No prescription for a controlled substance in Schedule II\nshall be refilled. All prescriptions for controlled substances classified in Schedule II\nshall be maintained in a separate prescription file.\n(2) Except when dispensed directly by a practitioner to an ultimate user, a controlled\nsubstance included in Schedules III, IV, and V, which is a prescription drug, shall\nnot be dispensed without a written, facsimile, electronic, or oral prescription by a\npractitioner. The prescription shall not be filled or refilled more than six (6) months\nafter the date issued or be refilled more than five (5) times, unless renewed by the\npractitioner and a new prescription, written, electronic, or oral shall be required.\n(3) (a) To be valid, a prescription for a controlled substance shall be issued only for a\nlegitimate medical purpose by a practitione r acting in the usual course of his\nprofessional practice. Responsibility for the proper dispensing of a controlled\nsubstance pursuant to a prescription for a legitimate medical purpose is upon\nthe pharmacist who fills the prescription.\n(b) A prescription shall not be issued for a practitioner to obtain a controlled\nsubstance for the purpose of general dispensing or administering to patients.\n(4) All written, facsimile, and electronic prescriptions for controlled substances shall be\ndated and signed by the practitioner on the date issued. A computer -generated\nprescription that is printed out or faxed by the practitioner shall be manually signed.\nA prescription may be transmitted by facsimile only as specified in administrative\nregulations promulgated by the cabinet. Electronic prescriptions shall be created,\nsigned, and transmitted in accordance with the requirements of 21 C.F.R. pt. 1311.\n(5) All prescriptions for controlled substances shall include the full name and address\nof the patient, drug name, streng th, dosage form, quantity prescribed, directions for\nuse, and the name, address and registration number of the practitioner.\n(6) All oral prescriptions for controlled substances shall be immediately reduced to\nwriting, dated, and signed by the pharmacist.\n(7) A pharmacist refilling any prescription shall record on the prescription or other\nequivalent record the date, the quantity, and the pharmacist's initials. The\nmaintenance of prescription records under the federal controlled substances laws\nand regulati ons containing substantially the same information as specified in this\nsubsection shall constitute compliance with this subsection.\n(8) The pharmacist filling a written, facsimile, electronic, or oral prescription for a\ncontrolled substance shall affix to the package a label showing the date of filling,\nthe pharmacy name and address, the serial number of the prescription, the name of\nthe patient, the name of the prescribing practitioner and directions for use and\ncautionary statements, if any, contained in such prescription or required by law.\n(9) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall:\n(a) For the first offense, be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor; and\n(b) For a second or subsequent offense, be guilty of a Class D felony.","path":["KRS Chapter 218A"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=52542","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:52:30Z","sha256":"49de3070e656f27262b94d096e77e81986d2323261599fcb589cb0ce4e2b1dc7","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-218a.175","next":"us-ky/krs-218a.182"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}