Effective January 1, 2021, Texas Health and Safety Code, §§481.0755 requires that prescriptions for controlled substances to be issued electronically unless a waiver has been granted by the appropriate agency. I have been using electronic prescribing for several years, and have come to appreciate it. However, a substantial investment of time and money are required to electronically prescribe controlled substances, as opposed to other medications.
Texas physicians may apply for a waiver from the requirement to use electronic prescribing for controlled substances by submitting a waiver request to the Texas Medical Board (TMB).
You must provide the required information which includes the reason(s) that a waiver is needed. This is a screen shot of the question you must answer, after which you have the opportunity to provide explanatory details.
If you are a Texas physician and your request for a waiver is granted, your profile on the TMB website will show that you have been granted a waiver for electronic prescribing of controlled substances.
My frustration with the new electronic prescribing rules for controlled substances is that drugs like Gabapentin and Pregabalin fall under the rules which were developed primarily to better track opioid use.
–Caroline
Dr. Fife is a world renowned wound care physician dedicated to improving patient outcomes through quality driven care. Please visit my blog at CarolineFifeMD.com and my Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/carolinefifemd/videos
The opinions, comments, and content expressed or implied in my statements are solely my own and do not necessarily reflect the position or views of Intellicure or any of the boards on which I serve.
So can you tell me why no doctor can send an electronic prescription for controlled substances for me? In Texas. This month, December 2021, my primary care M.D. was unable to send Lunesta electronically, and had to write it on paper. The computer system wouldn’t let him do it electroncially. Same thing happened at the ER. (bone spurs in my neck, apparently, this is a new diagnosis) The doctor could not send Pregabalin or Tylenol 3 electronically. Gave me paper only. Walmart would not fill paper without a “waiver” from the doctor. A small independent pharmacy filled it right away. Apparently they don’t have to comply with the electronic requirement until Jan 1, 2023. But WHY can’t the doctors send these electronically for me, but they can for other patients? My Primary M.D. was very confused why it was happening. I don’t take controlled substances regularly except Lunesta, a schedule IV, about 30 tablets every 90 days, and I don’t use illegal drugs. I got a prescription for Sunosi (schedule IV) several months ago. I take half a tablet when going on long drives (I have sleep apnea). I feel like I’ve been secretly blacklisted. What state agency do I look to to find the answer of why the state’s (?) computer system seems to be discriminating against me? How many other patients is this happening to? Do I have a right to know my Narxcare score? I live in the in a rural area and have to drive far to find competent doctors. Lots of medical problems, post-traumatic headache (I take no narcotics for it, and am waiting for surgery to decompress a cranial nerve) and sleep apnea and apparently now bone spurs/arthritis in my neck and spine. Thanks for any info you can give.