Mail order and specialty dispensing laws

[participant1]

In mail order or specialty pharmacies, which state regulations apply for medications dispensed out of state (i.e. the state where the medication is dispensed or the state where the member resides)?

For instance, many mail order pharmacies fill 90 day supplies to entice members to use their services. Can a mail order facility in PA dispense a 90-day supply for a controlled substance for a patient residing in a state which limits the day supply of a controlled substance script to no more than 30 days?

[chris.jarosz]

In the specific example you provided, most states require that the non-resident pharmacy abide by the requirements of the state for dispensing controlled substances.

In general, most states require an out of state pharmacy to acquire a non-resident permit to dispense into the state. Some states will have a few separate "practice of pharmacy" rules for the out of state pharmacy regarding hours of operation or the need for an 800 number for the patients or special labeling requirements. Some states require that the non-resident pharmacy must have a pharmacist licensed in the state in order to acquire an out of state permit. In these cases, the pharmacist may need to take the pharmacy law exam in that state. Pharmacy laws and regulations differ in each state. For example, some states require that, as an out of state pharmacy, you must send a list of all controlled substances dispensed into the state, others do not require this.