Ch. 503                                    2004 LAWS OF MARYLAND

prescriptions to be legible; providing that certain penalties do not apply to a
violation of this Act; requiring the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene, in
conjunction with certain other groups, to convene a certain workgroup to study
the legibility of prescriptions and report to certain committees on or before a
certain date in a certain manner on the recommendations of the workgroup;
requiring the study to include certain items; and generally relating to legibility
of prescriptions.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article - Health - General
Section 21-220 and 21-1215
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2000 Replacement Volume and 2003 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Health - General

21-220.

(a)     A drug that is intended for use by human beings and is in any of the
following classifications may be dispensed by a pharmacist only on a written or oral
prescription from a health practitioner authorized by law to prescribe the drug:

(1)     A habit-forming drug to which § 21-218(b)(1) of this subtitle applies.

(2)     A drug that because of its toxicity or other potentiality for harmful
effect, the method of its use, or the collateral measures necessary to its use, is not safe
for use except under the supervision of a health practitioner who is authorized by law
to administer such a drug.

(3)     A drug that is limited by an approved application under § 355 of the
federal act or § 21-223 of this subtitle to use under the professional supervision of a
health practitioner authorized by law to administer such a drug.

(b)     (1) A prescription may be written or oral. However, a pharmacist may
not dispense a drug on an oral prescription unless the pharmacist promptly writes out
and files the prescription.

(2)     A prescription for a controlled dangerous substance within the
meaning of Title 5 of the Criminal Law Article may not be written on a preprinted
prescription form that states the name, quantity, or strength of the controlled
dangerous substance.

(3)     When a prescription is written, a separate prescription form is
required for each controlled dangerous substance. If a pharmacist is otherwise
satisfied that a prescription is valid the pharmacist may fill the prescription if the
pharmacist promptly writes out and files a prescription for each substance and also
files the original prescription.

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