Section 3333(4) of the Public Health Law requires pharmacies to submit information to the Department of Health regarding all prescriptions dispensed for controlled substances. The prescription information required to be submitted is specified in section 80.73(f) of Title 10 regulations. Such information must be submitted in correct form no later than the 15th of the month following the month in which the controlled substance was dispensed.

The Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement closely analyzes controlled substance prescription information submitted by pharmacies. The Bureau's analysis has revealed numerous submissions that contain incorrect or incomplete prescription information. Some examples are:

• In January 2008, more than 2,500 pharmacies submitted information from over 13,000 prescriptions containing incorrect practitioner DEA registration numbers.
• Submitted information from hospital prescription forms incorrectly contains the DEA registration number of the hospital instead of the DEA registration number of the individual prescribing practitioner. (Only unlicensed interns, residents, or foreign physicians are authorized to prescribe controlled substances under the hospital's DEA registration, with a suffix number assigned by the hospital.)
• Submitted information contains keying errors in the entering of the official prescription serial number, the prescribing practitioner's DEA registration number, or the metric quantity and day's supply of controlled substance dispensed into the pharmacy's data entry system.
• Information from written prescriptions is being submitted indicating a serial number of ‘99999999' (Only information from oral prescriptions may be submitted under this serial number.)
• Information from oral prescriptions is being incorrectly submitted indicating a serial number of ‘ZZZZZZZZ' (Only information from written out-of-state prescriptions may be submitted under this serial number.)
• Some pharmacies are submitting prescription information containing an invalid practitioner DEA registration number with a numerical sequence that allows it to be accepted into the pharmacy's data entry system without rejection. (This appears to be the willful submission of incorrect information.)

The Department of Health utilizes controlled substance prescription information to carry out important public health initiatives, such as the Practitioner Notification Program, which informs practitioners when their patients are obtaining controlled substances from multiple practitioners in a short amount of time. Prescription information is also utilized in carrying out the Department's law enforcement responsibilities to protect the public health from the diversion, abuse, and trafficking of controlled substances. Therefore, it is vital that pharmacies submit prescription information that is accurate, timely, and complete.

The Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement is advising pharmacies to exercise utmost care when entering and submitting required controlled substance prescription information. Pharmacies that fail to submit correct prescription information, or willfully submit incorrect prescription information, are in violation of the Public Health Law and may be referred to the Department's Division of Legal Affairs for commencement of a legal action.

Pharmacies having questions regarding the submission of prescription information should contact the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement at 1-866-811-7957, option #1.