657—6.9(124,155A) Transfer of prescription. The transmission of a prescription drug order from a pharmacy to a pharmacy engaged in centralized prescription filling or processing on behalf of the originating pharmacy pursuant to the requirements of 657—Chapter 18 shall not constitute the transfer of a prescription. Upon the request of a patient or the patient’s caregiver, a pharmacy shall transfer original prescription drug order information and prescription refill information to a pharmacy designated by the patient or the patient’s caregiver, central fill or processing pharmacies excepted, subject to the following requirements:
	6.9(1) Schedule III, IV, or V prescriptions. The transfer of original prescription drug order information for controlled substances listed in Schedule III, IV, or V is permissible between pharmacies on a one-time basis except as provided in subrule 6.9(8).
	6.9(2) Noncontrolled substances prescriptions. The transfer of original prescription drug order information for noncontrolled prescription drugs between pharmacies is permissible as long as the number of transfers does not exceed the number of originally authorized refills and the original prescription is still valid.
	6.9(3) Authorized individuals and means of transmission. Individuals authorized to engage in the transfer of prescriptions include a pharmacist, a pharmacist-intern under the direct supervision of a pharmacist, and a certified pharmacy technician, except as prohibited in 657—subrule 3.23(1). The transferring individual may transmit the prescription and transfer information required under subrule 6.9(5) from the transferring pharmacy via electronic means pursuant to subrule 6.9(8) or, following direct communication between authorized individuals, via oral or facsimile transmission. The receiving individual shall ensure the prescription transfer record maintained in the receiving pharmacy contains all of the information required under subrule 6.9(7).
	6.9(4) Prescriptions maintained. Both the original and the transferred prescription drug orders are maintained for a period of two years from the date of last activity.
	6.9(5) Record of transfer out. The individual transferring the prescription drug order information shall:
	a. 	Invalidate the prescription drug order;
	b. 	Record on or with the invalidated prescription drug order the following information:
	(1)	The name, address, and, for a controlled substance, the DEA registration number of the pharmacy to which such prescription is transferred;
	(2)	The name of the individual receiving the prescription drug order information;
	(3)	The name of the individual transferring the prescription drug order information; and
	(4)	The date of the transfer.
	6.9(6) Original prescription status. The original prescription drug order shall be invalidated in the data processing system for purposes of filling or refilling, but shall be maintained in the data processing system for refill history purposes.
	6.9(7) Record of transfer received. The individual receiving the transferred prescription drug order information shall:
	a. 	Indicate that the prescription drug order has been transferred;
	b. 	Record on or with the transferred prescription drug order the following information:
	(1)	Original date of issuance and date of dispensing, if different from date of issuance;
	(2)	Original prescription number;
	(3)	Number of valid refills remaining, the date of last refill, and, for a controlled substance, the dates and locations of all previous refills;
	(4)	Name, address, and, for a controlled substance, the DEA registration number of the pharmacy from which such prescription drug order information is transferred;
	(5)	The date of the transfer;
	(6)	Name of the individual receiving the prescription drug order information;
	(7)	Name of the individual transferring the prescription drug order information; and
	(8)	If transferring a controlled substance prescription from a pharmacy utilizing a shared electronic database system as described in subrule 6.9(8) to a pharmacy outside that shared system, the pharmacy name, location, DEA registration number, and prescription number from which the prescription was originally filled.
	6.9(8) Electronic transfer between pharmacies. Pharmacies may electronically transfer prescription information, including controlled substance prescription information in compliance with federal regulations for controlled substances. For transfers of prescriptions for noncontrolled substances and controlled substances, pharmacies that share a real-time, online database may transfer up to the maximum refills permitted by law and the prescriber’s authorization. A prescription for a controlled substance transferred between two pharmacies which do not share a real-time, online database may only be transferred one time.
[ARC 7634B, IAB 3/11/09, effective 4/15/09; ARC 8169B, IAB 9/23/09, effective 10/28/09; ARC 0343C, IAB 10/3/12, effective 11/7/12; ARC 3638C, IAB 2/14/18, effective 3/21/18; ARC 4189C, IAB 12/19/18, effective 1/23/19; ARC 5542C, IAB 4/7/21, effective 5/12/21]