In New York, No More ‘Writing’ Prescriptions

Use a prescription pad in New York, go to jail—potentially, anyway, as the state becomes only the second state to require electronic prescribing and the first to establish penalties, which include fines, loss of license, and even jail time, for noncompliance. Paper and telephone prescriptions will be exempted for emergency situations, however. Proponents reason that e-prescribing is a big step toward eliminating prescribing errors and long wait times at the pharmacy, and that it reduces risk for fraud and prescription drug abuse. Some critics see problems if patients have to choose one pharmacy for a prescription to be sent to during the process instead of being able to explore which pharmacy might have the lowest price or to ensure that a pharmacy has the medication in stock. However, New York officials say the convenience of e-prescribing trumps any challenges with implementation for prescribers and patients alike. E-prescribing already accounts for roughly 60% of all prescriptions “written” in the U.S.