Re: yeah, that's a felony.

[Anonymous]

Out of curiosity, I checked out my son’s Concerta prescription, as we are in a different country. Our “controlled drug” prescritions must first be phoned through to a government department, by the treating doctor, and approval given. The doc then gets an approval number, which is written on the prescription, and the number of tablets, the dosage, and amount of repeats prescribed are documented by the government department. Then the doctor must write the prescription, on a special prescription pad, in his own handwriting. This copy stays attached to the pharmacy printed stuff that get printed out when they fill the prescription. The pharmacy also sticks a dispensing label onto the back of the original, handwritten prescription, to show that it has been dispensed by them.

So anyone can tell, by looking at the prescription, how many times it has been filled. The chemist cannot fill the script if the original document is not handed over, and it would be very difficult to copy the original, as handwriting leaves an indent that a copy would not have, pen does not look quite right when copied, and the dispensing stickers are not there. Also, the approval number allows for the script to be tracked – when it is filled, how many repeats are left, and if it is cancelled (such as when a doc changes a patient to a different medication or dose). So even if a chemist gets given a very good copy, they can tell if a false script is presented due to the dispensing stickers not matching with what the “tracking” system says has been dispensed.

All is all, it’s a pretty good system, but it doesn’t stop kids from selling their prescription meds on the street.

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