Government Regulation Of Prescription Deliveries
Posted on: 3 March 2018
If you are thinking about having your prescriptions delivered, you should be aware of the government regulations that may affect you. While many prescriptions are delivered all over the United States, there are some restrictions that must be followed. As long as you follow the restrictions, you can receive most medications in three-month batches. Here are some of the limitations to be aware of if you're interested in this service.
Schedule I and Schedule II Drugs May Only Be Delivered Locally
These are drugs with high dependency issues. They cannot be delivered via mail to your doorstep for fear your children or someone else will grab the box and get into the medications. This means that these drugs may only be delivered to you, the signing adult, via a local pharmacy that provides medication delivery services.
Multiple-Month Medications with and without Restrictions
Multiple-month medications, if they are considered non-habit forming, may be delivered to your doorstep without a signature. These include aspirin, natural diuretics, and herbal medicines. Schedule IV and Schedule V drugs are okay to ship in this manner as they are considered relatively safe by the DEA. (Birth control pills are considered safe to ship, so you are okay.)
Multiple-month medications that are not safe to ship to your doorstep may be picked up at your doctor's office. More and more doctors are offering this service so that patients do not have to worry about pharmacy shortages. You and your doctor order a three- or six-month supply directly from the manufacturer. The pills are delivered to your doctor's office. The nurse or administrative assistant calls you to let you know that your prescriptions have arrived. Then you pick up the pills during office hours.
Deliveries Through Multiple Channels
Some medications may not be delivered directly through US mail. However, they may be delivered by other delivery services that partner with the United States Post Office to deliver packages. This means that your medications arrive faster and there is less opportunity for people to open the box or steal it. The chain of command is limited in order to deliver medications safely into your hands in the shortest time possible.
A Word on Illegal Substances
Some states have chosen to legalize marijuana. This drug may be shipped within those states, but not by mail, since the US Postal Service prohibits shipping marijuana. Additionally, marijuana may not be shipped in any way over state lines into states that have not legalized it. People who break these rules face stiff federal penalties.
If you could benefit from using a service that offers deliveries for prescriptions, check out companies like On Time Delivery.
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