DOPL's Response To UNP Regarding Gabapentin Prescribing

UNP: From what we understand, the brunt of changes will involve pharmacists (and pharmacies) and how filled prescriptions are tracked. The questions that are coming up have to do with how the medication will be classified in the Controlled Substances categories.

Q: Should prescribers treat gabapentin as a CS-IV (with one prescription and up to 5 refills in 6 months)? I think when we prescribe a CS-IV, we’re often thinking “the patient is going to need to follow up with us in 6 months.”

DOPL: You are correct, pharmacies and pharmacists who fill and dispense gabapentin will be most impacted by the law change, as they must report the dispensing of gabapentin to the CSD.  Providers who prescribe gabapentin will see no change to them other than the Provider will be able to view in the CSD if their patient has received an Rx for gabapentin.

1 -(Aminomethyl)-cyclohexane acetic acid (Gabapentin) is still a non-controlled substance. It is not "Scheduled" Federally or in State Statute, it is still a legend drug regulated by the FDA by general Rx order. At this time there is no change or new regulation with prescribing gabapentin. The only change in regulation for gabapentin is that it must be to report to the Controlled Substance Database. The Utah State Legislature by statute has given authority to the Utah Controlled Substance Advisory Committee (CSAC) authority to evaluate and track certain substances for which the committee may deem to have a potential for abuse or misuse. Therefore, the CSAC requested DOPL to make a rule change within the CSD to include required reporting of gabapentin.

The patient is the only other party affected by the rule change, in that the patient's name, DOB, address, phone number, along with an identification form, for the person who picks-up (received) the Rx from the pharmacy, will be provided to the CSD. It is really not much different for the patient, then if they were to purchase the over-the-counter substance pseudoephedrine, which is tracked as a precursor drug, only gabapentin is an Rx drug.

Ron Larsen
Controlled Substance Database (CSD) Administrator