(a) A drug dispensed by a prescribing practitioner shall be personally dispensed by the prescribing practitioner and the dispensing of such drug shall not be delegated except that, in emergency departments of acute care hospitals licensed under chapter 368v, the tasks related to dispensing such drug may be carried out by a nurse licensed pursuant to chapter 378 under the supervision of the prescribing practitioner.

(b) A patient's medical record shall include a complete record of any drug dispensed by the prescribing practitioner.

(c) A prescribing practitioner dispensing a drug shall package the drug in containers approved by the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission, unless requested otherwise by the patient, and shall label the container with the following information: (1) The full name of the patient; (2) the prescribing practitioner's full name and address; (3) the date of dispensing; (4) instructions for use; and (5) any cautionary statements as may be required by law.

(d) Professional samples dispensed by a prescribing practitioner shall be exempt from the requirements of subsection (c) of this section.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or chapter 400j, a prescribing practitioner who diagnoses a chlamydia or gonorrhea infection in a patient may prescribe and dispense oral antibiotic drugs to such patient and the patient's partner or partners in order to prevent further infection without a physical examination of such partner or partners. A prescribing practitioner who prescribes or dispenses oral antibiotic drugs to the partner or partners of a patient diagnosed with a chlamydia or gonorrhea infection shall, in accordance with the provisions of this subsection, not be deemed to have violated the prescribing practitioner's standard of care for such prescribing or dispensing drugs. The Commissioner of Public Health, in consultation with the Commissioner of Consumer Protection, may adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to implement the provisions of this subsection.

(f) A prescribing physician or surgeon may dispense and sell contact lenses that contain a drug, as defined in section 20-571, and such physician or surgeon shall be exempt from the requirements of subsection (c) of this section when dispensing or selling contact lenses. As used in this subsection, “physician” means a person holding a license issued pursuant to this chapter, except a homeopathic physician.

(g) A licensed optometrist, authorized to practice advanced optometric care pursuant to section 20-127, who dispenses contact lenses that contain ocular agents-T, as defined in subdivision (5) of subsection (a) of section 20-127, shall be exempt from the requirements of subsection (c) of this section when dispensing or selling contact lenses.

(P.A. 85-545, S. 3, 6; P.A. 95-264, S. 50; P.A. 99-80, S. 2; 99-175, S. 3; P.A. 09-58, S. 2; P.A. 11-242, S. 9.)

History: P.A. 95-264 changed “licensed” practitioner to “prescribing” practitioner throughout section and deleted Subsec. (e) which had required compliance with Sec. 20-175a consumer information requirements when dispensing drugs other than professional samples; P.A. 99-80 amended Subsec. (a) by adding exception for nurses in emergency departments; P.A. 99-175 amended Subsec. (c) to make technical changes and add numerical Subdiv. indicators; P.A. 09-58 added Subsecs. (e) and (f) exempting physicians, surgeons and optometrists, who dispense and sell contact lenses that contain a drug or ocular agents-T, from requirements of Subsec. (c); P.A. 11-242 added new Subsec. (e) re prescribing practitioner's authority to prescribe and dispense oral antibiotic drugs for treatment of chlamydia or gonorrhea to a patient and the patient's partners without a physical examination of such partners and redesignated existing Subsecs. (e) and (f) as Subsecs. (f) and (g).

Cited. 207 C. 346.