Pharmacy Tech Concerns With Disclosing Controlled Substance Inventory Over The Phone
In our latest question and answer, our pharmacist discusses concerns a pharmacy tech is having regarding disclosing inventory of controlled substances over the phone.
I am in disagreement with our current lead tech (who our current pharmacist usually leaves the techs to). We were told by a previous pharmacist that we were not to tell patients over the phone if we have a controlled substance in stock unless we had a current prescription that could be filled on file. Our current lead tech is saying that we can tell them we have it in stock, just not what quantity as it is a security measure. Am I wrong in thinking that just saying we have it in stock is an invitation to the wrong people who want the drugs for the wrong purposes? Shouldn't we continue to say we need to see the prescription before we can give any information about controlled substance inventory?
Jan 17, 2023- Pharmacies can set their own policies about discussing controlled substance inventory over the phone, and there is no specific law requiring them to do so. Concerns about disclosing availability without verifying a valid prescription are legitimate because it may create safety and diversion risks. Some pharmacies choose to only confirm controlled substance availability when a provider's office calls on behalf of a patient, which balances security with helping patients access needed medications.
Answer
Thanks so much for reaching out and asking such a great question.
There is no specific law that regulates whether or not a pharmacy can discuss its inventory with a potential patient. However, pharmacies and/or pharmacists may have individual policies in place, particularly when it comes to controlled substances.
These policies are usually set in place with the primary focuses being:
- The safety and protection of the pharmacy staff
- Preventing the potential diversion of controlled substances
- Ensuring that medications are only dispensed to patients with valid prescriptions with legitimate medical needs
It is understandable that you may have concerns about disclosing the availability of a controlled substance over the phone without first verifying a valid prescription. By saying that you have the drug in stock, regardless of whether or not you disclose the specific quantity you have on hand, you may be inadvertently inviting potential safety concerns.
Drug Shortages Exacerbate The Problem
Complicating matters, there have recently been some high-profile controlled substance drugs that have had widespread availability issues, such as Adderall and Adderall XR, so I imagine you may be getting calls from patients you haven't served in the past.
Receiving calls from unknown patients inquiring about the availability of controlled substances can certainly be a red flag, but you do have to consider the circumstances too.
Some calls could certainly be more concerning than others (e.g., someone calling about a specific quantity of a particular manufacturer of a controlled substance versus asking about the availability of a drug in general).
Pharmacist Thoughts On The Problem
Ultimately, no one is right or wrong here in a legal sense.
It is ultimately up to the pharmacy and pharmacist to decide on a policy regarding the disclosure of controlled substance inventory.
It may be more appropriate to continue the previous pharmacist's policy of saying that a prescription is needed before any information about the controlled substance inventory can be provided. This policy ensures that safety and security are the primary considerations. However, it is important to take into consideration known availability issues with certain drugs, and why someone may be calling to inquire about stock.
After all, we are here to serve individuals who have medical needs and access to medically necessary medication is extremely important.
A policy that I've seen that may be an option is that some pharmacies will disclose inventory availability, but only if it is the provider's office calling for the information on behalf of their patient. This way you know there is a legitimate prescription for a patient and you are disclosing information to a provider's office, which can then be of assistance to their other patients that may be in a similar bind regarding medication availability.
Final Words
Thanks again for reaching out! I hope this answer was helpful.
References & sources
- Education Law Article 137, Pharmacy — New York State Education Department
- Pharmacist’s Manual An Informational Outline of the Controlled Substances Act — DEA
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Controlled substances
- Medications that are regulated by the government because they have a higher risk of abuse or dependence, such as stimulants or opioids.
- Diversion
- The illegal transfer of prescription medications from their intended patient to someone else or the black market.
- Dispensed
- When a pharmacist gives out a medication to a patient according to a doctor's prescription.
- Inventory
- The stock of medications and supplies that a pharmacy currently has available.
- Drug shortages
- Periods when certain medications are not available in sufficient quantities to meet patient demand.
- Adderall
- A prescription stimulant medication commonly prescribed to treat attention deficit disorders.
- Red flag
- A warning sign that something might be suspicious or concerning.
- Availability issues
- Situations where specific medications are difficult to obtain because supplies are limited or depleted.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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