Updated November 20, 2025
The lawbook gets updated annually, so the page references change.
HSC section 11162.1 is somewhere near page 743.
--- previous updates follow below ---
Updated December 15, 2017
You might have also been looking for this, recently emailed out in a Nov 28, 2017 subscriber alert by the CA BOP.
"Background:
California Health and Safety Code section 11162.1 contains 14 elements that
must
appear on California Security Forms, the forms used to prescribe controlled
substances in California*. These elements were first enacted in 2003 when
the triplicate prescription form was discontinued. The law also requires
that California Security Forms must be printed by CA Department of Justice
licensed printers. In 2006, the law was amended again to make
several changes that took effect in January 2007. Finally legislation
enacted in 2011 required that the California Security Forms in use must be
fully compliant with all requirements of the Health and Safety Code by July 1,
2012.
Here is a link to the required elements in the Health and Safety Code (go to
page [718]):
http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/laws_regs/lawbook.pdf
In recent years, the board has continued to identify noncompliant California
Security Forms in use that have been filled by California pharmacies, in
violation of the Health and Safety Code requirements. The board’s
response upon identification of noncompliant forms having been used to dispense
controlled drugs is to educate the licensee, and to cite and fine the
pharmacy/pharmacists involved. Typically the licensing board for the prescriber
is advised as well.
Recently some pharmacies have begun to refuse to fill prescriptions written
on noncompliant forms where item 11162.1(a)(10) is not fully compliant with the
required elements. One of these elements is
“ Check boxes shall be
printed on the form so that the prescriber may indicate the number of refills
ordered.” There are also additional elements missing on some forms,
including lack of a watermark on the reverse of the form.
The board recently has received complaints from patients or prescribers
whose patients have been denied medication from the pharmacy because of the
noncompliant forms.
Interim Solutions
- Prescribers and dispensers
need to become familiar with the 14 required elements of the security
prescription forms.
- Prescribers with noncompliant
forms should reorder compliant forms from a DOJ-licensed security printer.
- Prescribers with noncompliant
forms should consider using e-prescribing for controlled substances."
- - the original post follows below - -
This was just sent out by the California State Board of Pharmacy. It's important enough, that you should stop to read this, and make sure your policies and procedures are in compliance with the new laws.
According to the Board:
This is a reminder about a new law taking effect July 1, 2012 regarding the required elements for security forms for controlled substances:
Effective January 1, 2012, security prescription forms for controlled substances must include the preprinted address of the prescriber (Health and Safety Code section 11162.1). Security prescription forms that do not have the preprinted address of the prescriber can be dispensed by the pharmacist until July 1, 2012. Prescription forms not in compliance are invalid and cannot be accepted on or after July 1, 2012.
Additionally, licensed health care facilities or clinics exempt under Section 1206 (those having 25 or more licensed physicians or surgeons preprinted on the form) are not required to preprint the category of licensure and license number of their facility or clinic (Health and Safety Code 11162.1[c][2]).
View all changes in Pharmacy Law that took effect in 2012 by using this link: http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/laws_regs/new_laws.pdf
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