Frequently Asked Questions

1) What do I need to do when there is a change in Pharmacist-in-Charge?

Resigning PIC

Send a copy of your letter of resignation as PIC

New PIC
Application completed, including notarized signatures of PIC and the owner/agent
Technician List
Copy of the DEA registration
Copy of the corporate officers or other documentation
Check or money order for $140
PIC Exam after Board office is in receipt of completed application

2) With a change in PIC, when must the new PIC be in place?

The new registration and PIC must in place within 30 days of resigning PIC's last day.

3) Can my technician open the retail store to sweep the floors, turn on the computer, and begin inputting prescription numbers needed for refills BEFORE I arrive at the pharmacy?

NO. K.S.A. 65-1637...when a pharmacist is not in attendance at a pharmacy, the premises shall be enclosed and secured.

When a pharmacist is on the premises but not in the pharmacy, a pharmacy technician may be in the pharmacy, however they shall not distribute any drug out of the pharmacy. When a pharmacist is not on the premises, no one shall be permitted in the pharmacy except the designated registered professional nurse or nurses. K.S.A. 65-1637, 65-1648(a) and K.A.R. 68-7-11.

K.A.R. 68-1-1b(b)... Three C.E.U.s shall be required for renewal during each licensure period. The law does not specify how many per year, only that 30 hours are needed for each licensure period.

NO. K.A.R. 68-7-11 (e)(3)...A nurse shall not transfer medication from one container to another for future use, but may transfer a single dose from a stock container for immediate administration to the ultimate user.

K.A.R. 68-7-15(a) Packaging in advance of immediate need shall be done by a pharmacist or under his or her direct supervision. Direct supervision is defined in K.S.A. 65-1626(g).

NO. K.A.R. 68- 7-14(b) the name of the prescribing practioner and if written by a physician's assistant (PA) or an advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP) under protocol with a responsible physician, the label SHALL include the name of the practitioner and the PA or ARNP.

YES. As a schedule V. K.S.A. 65-4113(e)Unless specifically exempted or unless listed in another schedule any product containing as its single ingredient the substance Ephedrine.

YES. But the prescription has to meet to requirements of a Kansas prescription including the name,address and telephone number of a responsible physician.

NO. If a prescription is issued to the patient the physician must manually sign it. K.A.R. 68-20-18(c)(2).  AII written prescriptions for controlled substances shall be dated and manually signed on the day issued.

12) Can I dispense more than a thirty day supply of Ritalin?

YES.  The law does not limit the quantity dispensed for any controlled substances except drugs used as diet aid or amount dispensed of C II if it is an emergency prescription.

13) Can I fill an out-of-state prescription for a controlled substance?

YES. K.A.R. 6820-19(a)(4)(A)(iii) If the prescribing practitioner is not known to the pharmacist, the pharmacist shall make a reasonable effort to determine that the authorization came from the prescribing practitioner, which may include a call back to the practitioner.

NO. K.A.R. 100-23-1(d) The treating physician shall not dispense or prescribe more than a 30-day supply of controlled substances to treat obesity for a patient at one time. Therefore, no refills are permitted.

15) Does Ritalin have to have a diagnosis on the prescription?

NO. K.A.R. 100-23-1 excludes Ritalin and Cylert and Concerta from the requirement.

16) Can a psychiatrist treat pain?

YES. The Board of Healing Arts does not license specialties or practices. It does license doctors and if the doctor has a DEA number the doctor can write for pain medications.

NO.  K.A.R. 68-5-15

NO.  K.A.R. 68-2-16 No pharmacy shall have a branch, connection, or affiliation whereby prescriptions are solicited, accepted, collected, or picked up, from or at any location other than a licensed pharmacy.

After consulting with the prescriber, the pharmacist is permitted to change the patient's address, drug strength, drug quantity, and directions for use.  The pharmacy may also add the dosage form to the prescription order after verification with the prescriber.  The pharmacist is never permitted to make changes to the patient's name, controlled substance prescribed (except for generic substitution as permitted by Kansas law), or the prescriber's signature.  These types of changes challenge the necessity of the original prescription and would require a new prescription from the prescriber.  This allows for corrections to be handled by a phone call, however, the pharmacist should always document the time and date that the prescriber was contacted and ask the prescriber to document the change in the patient's chart.

20) What is the best way customers should dispose of unused or expired medications?

There is not an easy answer to this question. In the past the advice was to flush the medication down the toilet, but this is no longer recommended because of the potential for environmental damage. At this time, the best option is to direct the customer to a local hazardous waste facility, however some waste facilities do not take medications, so there should be additional options for disposal of medications. If there is a Pharmacy take-back program in your area, you could refer a customer to that program. The last option is to throw the drugs in the trash. If you advise a customer to throw the drugs in the garbage, steps should be followed to lessen the potential for abuse of the drugs, to handle privacy issues, and to improve safety.
· Keep the medication in the original container with the childproof lid attached.
· Remove the patients' names if they are present on the container.
· Add a small amount of water to the solid drug or an absorbent material such as kitty litter, sawdust, or flour to liquid drugs before recapping.
· Adding a nontoxic spice such as cayenne pepper is another idea to make the drugs unpalatable.
· Double enclose the contained drugs in a bag or any other waste container, such as a brown paper bag, to prevent immediate identification of a drug container.
· Place medication in the trash at a time that is as close to the time of the garbage pickup as possible.

21) How can I report a pharmacist to the Committee on Impaired Provider Practice?

If you or a pharmacist you care about is suffering from chemical dependency, there is a solution. CIPP is readily available for help. Pharmacists in Kansas, employers, friends, or family may call the CIPP Help Line at 1-800-279-9300. CIPP is supported by a grant from the Kansas Board of Pharmacy and by donated time and services of pharmacists and pharmacy intern volunteers. All calls are confidential and are not known to the Board of Pharmacy.