California dentists writing prescriptions for controlled substances are now required to use forms that include a unique serialized number approved by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The requirement took effect on January 1 after a California bill, AB 1753, became law in September 2018. It requires consistent serialization of all prescription forms so that they may be tracked and linked to records in the state’s Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) prescription drug monitoring program.
California pharmacists and pharmacies will be looking for these serialization numbers on the forms. The California Board of Pharmacy has urged pharmacists and pharmacies to use their best judgment in situations when prescribers have not used these new forms, according to the Dental Board of California.
More information on the forms is available from the Dental Board of California.
