Follow the instructions below to view the most current versions of the laws and regulations governing controlled substances and the official prescription forms in New York State.
Chapter 803 of the Laws of 2021 became effective on June 28, 2022, adding a provision to New York State’s opioid overdose prevention statute. The new Public Health Law Section 3309(7) requires prescribers in most settings to prescribe an opioid antagonist with the first opioid prescription to a particular patient each year when any of the following risk factors are present:
This requirement shall not apply to prescriptions written in the following settings:
Effective August 18, 2016, Ioflupane, an injectable radiopharmaceutical diagnostic tool, that is derived from cocoa leaves, and is used in testing for adult patients with suspected Parkinsonism syndromes, was removed from Schedule II of the New York State Controlled Substance Schedules. This substance is now considered a non-controlled substance. Please see Article 33 of New York State Public Health Law, Section 3306(4)(b).
TO FURTHER REDUCE OVERPRESCRIBING OF OPIOID MEDICATIONS, EFFECTIVE JULY 22, 2016, INITIAL OPIOID PRESCRIBING FOR ACUTE PAIN IS LIMITED TO A 7 DAY SUPPLY. A practitioner may not initially prescribe more than a 7-day supply of an opioid medication for acute pain. Acute pain is defined as pain, whether resulting from disease, accidental or intentional trauma, or other cause, that the practitioner reasonably expects to last only a short period of time. This rule SHALL NOT include prescribing for chronic pain, pain being treated as a part of cancer care, hospice or other end-of-life care, or pain being treated as part of palliative care practices. Upon any subsequent consultations for the same pain, the practitioner may issue, in accordance with existing rules and regulations, any appropriate renewal, refill, or new prescription for an opioid.
Effective November 25, 2012 the following changes will be made to the controlled substance schedules in Section 3306 of the New York State Public Health Law. Where applicable, some common brand name pharmaceutical preparations containing the controlled substances are listed in bold:
Effective February 23, 2013 the following changes will be made to the controlled substance schedules in Section 3306 of the New York State Public Health Law. Where applicable, some common brand name pharmaceutical preparations containing the controlled substances are listed in bold:
Practitioners and pharmacists are responsible for ensuring prescriptions for all controlled substances including the medications listed above conform to all requirements of the law and regulations, both federal and state. Article 33 of the Public Health Law and Title 10 Part 80 Rules and Regulations on Controlled Substances in New York State may be accessed via the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement webpage
Amendments to Title 10 NYCRR Part 80 Rules and Regulations on Controlled Substances have been adopted and became effective as final regulations on March 27, 2013. The amendments authorize a practitioner to issue an electronic prescription for controlled substances in Schedules II through V and allow a pharmacist to accept, annotate, dispense and electronically archive such prescriptions.
The amendments require the following;
On March 13, 2015, the New York State Legislature amended the Public Health Law and the Education Law to extend the implementation date for mandatory electronic prescribing to March 27, 2016.
Information regarding e-prescribing may be accessed at the following link: Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances
Amendments to Title 10 NYCRR Part 80 Rules and Regulations on Controlled Substances have been adopted and became effective as final regulations on October 9, 2013. The amendments specify the manner in which a practitioner may issue a prescription, including an electronic prescription, for hypodermic needles and syringes and would specify how a pharmacist should dispense and electronically archive such prescriptions. Pursuant to Public Health Law section 3381, a prescription for hypodermic needles and syringes may only be issued in accordance with Department of Health and NYS Education Department regulations.
To view the Department of Health Recently Adopted Regulations, amendments to Title 10 NYCRR Part 80 Rules and Regulations on Controlled Substances may be accessed electronically:
Amendments to Title 10 NYCRR Part 80 Rules and Regulations on Controlled Substances have been adopted and became effective as final regulations on August 27, 2013. The amendments specify the manner in which a practitioner must consult the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP), and certain exceptions to that requirement. They clarify the practitioner's and pharmacist's ability to authorize a designee to consult the PMP on their behalf. The amendments change the frequency by which dispensing practitioners and pharmacies must submit dispensed controlled substance data to the Department of Health (Department), and include a requirement for reporting that no controlled substances were dispensed.
To view the Department of Health Recently Adopted Regulations, amendments to Title 10 NYCRR Part 80 Rules and Regulations on Controlled Substances may be accessed electronically: