Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 12, March 22, 2024
(a) Absent
establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) as defined in
section 2032.1, prescribing, dispensing,
or furnishing dangerous drugs as defined in Section
4022 of the code constitutes
unprofessional conduct.
(b) No
licensee shall be found to have committed unprofessional conduct within the
meaning of this section if, at the time the drugs were prescribed, dispensed,
or furnished, any of the following applies:
(1) The licensee was a veterinarian serving
in the absence of the treating veterinarian and the drugs were prescribed,
dispensed, or furnished on an emergency basis for a traveling patient only as
necessary to maintain the health of the animal patient until they could return
to the originally treating veterinarian. Prior to providing a prescription
refill pursuant to this section, the veterinarian shall have made a reasonable
effort to contact the original prescribing veterinarian, and shall have
documented the communication, or his or her attempt to contact the original
prescribing veterinarian, in the animal patient's medical record.
(2) The original prescribing veterinarian was
unavailable to authorize the refill, and the veterinarian authorizing the
refill was working in the same practice as the original prescribing
veterinarian, and:
(A) The veterinarian who
authorized the refill was in possession of and had reviewed the animal
patient's records, ordered the renewal of a medically indicated prescription
for an amount not exceeding the original prescription in strength or amount or
for more than one refill, and entered the prescription refill in the animal
patient's medical records.
(B) In
the veterinarian's professional judgment, failure to refill the prescription
might have interrupted the animal patient's ongoing care and might have had an
adverse effect on the animal patient's
well-being.
1. New section
filed 9-27-2013; operative 1-1-2014 (Register 2013, No. 39).
2.
Amendment filed 2-11-2021; operative 4-1-2021 (Register 2021, No.
7).
Note: Authority cited: Section
4808,
Business and Professions Code. Reference: Section
4883,
Business and Professions Code.
