Controlled substances: CURES database.

(1) Existing law classifies certain controlled substances into Schedules I to V, inclusive. Existing law requires the Department of Justice to maintain the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) for the electronic monitoring of the prescribing and dispensing of Schedule II, Schedule III, and Schedule IV controlled substances by a health care practitioner authorized to prescribe, order, administer, furnish, or dispense a Schedule II, Schedule III, or Schedule IV controlled substance. Existing law requires a dispensing pharmacy, clinic, or other dispenser to report specified information to the department as soon as reasonably possible, but no more than 7 days after a controlled substance is dispensed. This bill, on and after January 1, 2021, would require a dispensing pharmacy, clinic, or other dispenser to instead report the information required by the CURES database no more than one working day after a controlled substance is released to a patient or a patient's representative, except as specified. The bill would similarly require the dispensing of a controlled substance included on Schedule V to be reported to the department using the CURES database. The bill would make conforming changes to related provisions. (2) Existing law requires a health care practitioner authorized to prescribe, order, administer, furnish, or dispense controlled substances included on Schedule II, Schedule III, or Schedule IV, and a pharmacist upon licensure, to submit an application to obtain approval to electronically access information in the CURES database. This bill, on and after a specified date, would permit a licensed physician and surgeon who does not hold a DEA registration to submit an application to obtain approval to electronically access information in the CURES database. (3) Existing law requires an authorized health care practitioner to consult the CURES database to review a patient's controlled substance history before prescribing a Schedule II, Schedule III, or Schedule IV controlled substance to the patient for the first time and at least once every 4 months thereafter if the controlled substance remains part of the treatment of the patient. This bill, on and after a specified date, would instead require the authorized health care practitioner to consult the CURES database to review the patient's controlled substance history at least once every 6 months after the first time the substance is prescribed and the prescriber renews the prescription, except as specified. The bill would also establish a review and documentation requirement, as set forth, for a health care practitioner who receives the CURES database information from another authorized user, as specified. (4) Existing law requires the Department of Justice and other specified entities to identify necessary procedures to enable licensed health care practitioners and pharmacists with access to the CURES database to delegate their authority to order reports from the CURES database. This bill would instead require those entities to identify necessary procedures to enable those practitioners with access to the CURES database to delegate their authority to access reports from the CURES database.