Ohio Administrative Code
Title 4731 - State Medical Board
Chapter 4731-11 - Controlled Substances
Section 4731-11-08 - Utilizing controlled substances for self and family members

(A) Accepted and prevailing standards of care presuppose a professional relationship between a patient and physician when the physician is utilizing controlled substances. By definition, a physician may never have such a relationship with himself or herself. Thus, a physician may not self-prescribe or self-administer controlled substances. This paragraph does not prohibit a physician from obtaining a schedule V controlled substance for personal use in conformance with state and federal laws, in the same manner that a non-physician may obtain a schedule V controlled substance.

(B) Accepted and prevailing standards of care require that a physician maintain detached professional judgment when utilizing controlled substances in the treatment of family members. A physician shall utilize controlled substances when treating a family member only in an emergency situation which shall be documented in the patient's record.

(C) For purposes of this rule, "family member" means a spouse, parent, child, sibling or other individual in relation to whom a physician's personal or emotional involvement may render that physician unable to exercise detached professional judgment in reaching diagnostic or therapeutic decisions.