Institutional control of prescription blanks

A system designed to eliminate the illegal use of hospital prescription blanks to obtain Schedule II drugs is described. Several community pharmacies had reported receiving forged prescriptions for Schedule II drugs on hospital prescription blanks. The system places controls on prescription blanks for Schedule II drugs. Hospital physicians may prescribe these drugs using only special prescription blanks which are sequentially numbered. The blanks must be obtained by the physician in person from the pharmacy. Community pharmacists in the area are alerted in cases of lost or stolen prescription blanks.