HB 17-1350

House Bill 17-1350, which has been signed into law in Colorado, allows pharmacists to partially fill prescriptions for certain strong painkillers (Schedule II opioids) if they believe it's necessary. This means that instead of giving out the full amount prescribed by a doctor, a pharmacist can give less medication and keep the rest on hold. The bill also requires the pharmacist to inform both the patient’s doctor and a monitoring program about this partial fill. This law aims to help reduce the risk of opioid misuse or overdose by limiting the amount of these powerful painkillers that patients have access to at one time.

Official Summary

The bill: Allows a pharmacist to dispense a schedule II opioid in a lesser amount than the prescribed amount if certain circumstances are met; Limits the time that the remaining portions of a partially filled prescription for a schedule II opioid drug may be filled; and Directs a pharmacist partially filling a prescription for a schedule II opioid to retain the original prescription at the pharmacy, report the partial fill to the prescription drug monitoring program, and notify the prescribing health care provider that the prescription was partially filled.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Votes