Bill > S2578

This bill, titled the Reducing Unused Medications Act of 2016, amends the Controlled Substances Act, which is the federal law governing the manufacture, distribution, and dispensing of certain drugs. Specifically, it allows for the partial filling of prescriptions for controlled substances listed in Schedule II, which are drugs with a high potential for abuse but also accepted medical uses, such as certain opioid pain relievers. This partial filling is permitted if the prescriber (doctor, dentist, etc.) or the patient requests it, and the pharmacist must record each partial fill, update the prescription record each time, ensure the total dispensed quantity does not exceed the original amount prescribed, and notify the prescriber of each partial fill. Any remaining portions of the prescription can still be filled and must be used up by the date the prescription would have expired if it had been fully filled initially.