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by reaperducer 2861 days ago
It's a little different in my state.

A pharmacist is required to fill any prescription, paper or digital, except if the pharmacist has a religious objection (birth control, morning after pill, etc...). This came out in a recent court case.

It's the state that decides if prescriptions for controlled substances (like your Vyvanse) get rejected through a centralized database that works off of your driver's license/state ID scan* to prevent abuse.

There was much chaos a few months ago when the state imposed tighter restrictions on the number of opioid pain pills that could be dispensed at one time. You might have a prescription from your doctor for a 90-day supply, but you could only pick up five at a time. (Not an exact number, as I'm not on opioids.) For months, the lines at the pharmacy were backed up for hours as thousands of people ran into the new rules and took them out on the pharmacists.

* Amusingly, one of America's largest supermarket chains, Albertson's, isn't using the computerized driver's license scan. It keeps records in paper binders where the pharmacist writes down your DL# and you sign next to it. They don't even record what it is that you filled, or how much. Good job, Albertson's!

1 comments

Many states are screwing up Albertson's strategy with mandatory centralized database reporting. The "opioid epidemic" is terrific justification for growing government power and enforcement arms.
It’s worse. Pseudoephedrine is available without prescription but you are limited to 30 day supply in total per month and there is a mandatory state database. All that seems reasonable, until you can’t both buy pills fit yourself and your child without going over.
Oh man, great point. The pseudoephedrine thing is a nightmare. I have several kids so I have to make a note to purchase some every month, because once a sickness ravages the house I won't be able to buy enough. It's insane.
I believe in my state it's not available at all any more.