{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/54.1-2914.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/54.1-2914.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/54.1-2914.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/54.1-2914.html"}],"law_id":70411,"edition_id":1,"section_id":70411,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2914","catch_line":"Sale of controlled substances and medical devices or appliances; requirements for vision care services","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 54-317; 1954, c. 627; 1958, c. 161; 1966, cc. 166, 657; 1968, c. 582; 1970, c. 69; 1973, c. 529; 1975, c. 508; 1978, c. 622; 1979, c. 727; 1980, c. 157; 1985, c. 96; 1986, c. 86; 1988, cc. 765, 904; 1989, c. 510; 1994, c. 70; 1998, c. 580; 2001, cc. 268, 858; 2005, c. 163; 2016, c. 495.","full_text":"A\n\nA practitioner of the healing arts shall not engage in selling controlled substances unless he is licensed to do so by the Board of Pharmacy. However, this prohibition shall not apply to a doctor of medicine, osteopathy or podiatry who administers controlled substances to his patients or provides controlled substances to his patient in a bona fide medical emergency or when pharmaceutical services are not available. Practitioners who sell or dispense controlled substances shall be subject to inspection by the Department of Health Professions to ensure compliance with Chapters 33 (§ 54.1-3300 et seq.) and 34 (§ 54.1-3400 et seq.) of this title and the Board of Pharmacy’s regulations. This subsection shall not apply to physicians acting on behalf of the Virginia Department of Health or local health departments.B\n\nA practitioner of the healing arts who may lawfully sell medical appliances or devices shall not sell such appliances or devices to persons who are not his own patients and shall not sell such articles to his own patients either for his own convenience or for the purpose of supplementing his income. This subsection shall not apply to physicians acting on behalf of the Virginia Department of Health or local health departments.C\n\nA practitioner of the healing arts may, from within the practitioner’s office, engage in selling or promoting the sale of eyeglasses and may dispense contact lenses. Only those practitioners of the healing arts who engage in the examination of eyes and prescribing of eyeglasses may engage in the sale or promotion of eyeglasses. Practitioners shall not employ any unlicensed person to fill prescriptions for eyeglasses within the practitioner’s office except as provided in subdivision A 6 of § 54.1-2901. A practitioner may also own, in whole or in part, an optical dispensary located adjacent to or at a distance from his office.D\n\nAny practitioner of the healing arts engaging in the examination of eyes and prescribing of eyeglasses shall give the patient a copy of any prescription for eyeglasses and inform the patient of his right to have the prescription filled at the establishment of his choice. No practitioner who owns, in whole or in part, an establishment dispensing eyeglasses shall make any statement or take any action, directly or indirectly, that infringes on the patient’s right to have a prescription filled at an establishment other than the one in which the practitioner has an ownership interest.\n\t\t\tDisclosure of ownership interest by a practitioner as required by § 54.1-2964 or participation by the practitioner in contractual arrangements with third-party payors or purchasers of vision care services shall not constitute a violation of this subsection.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":254113,"text":"A practitioner of the healing arts shall not engage in selling controlled substances unless he is licensed to do so by the Board of Pharmacy. However, this prohibition shall not apply to a doctor of medicine, osteopathy or podiatry who administers controlled substances to his patients or provides controlled substances to his patient in a bona fide medical emergency or when pharmaceutical services are not available. Practitioners who sell or dispense controlled substances shall be subject to inspection by the Department of Health Professions to ensure compliance with Chapters 33 (§ 54.1-3300 et seq.) and 34 (§ 54.1-3400 et seq.) of this title and the Board of Pharmacy’s regulations. This subsection shall not apply to physicians acting on behalf of the Virginia Department of Health or local health departments.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":254114,"text":"A practitioner of the healing arts who may lawfully sell medical appliances or devices shall not sell such appliances or devices to persons who are not his own patients and shall not sell such articles to his own patients either for his own convenience or for the purpose of supplementing his income. This subsection shall not apply to physicians acting on behalf of the Virginia Department of Health or local health departments.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":254115,"text":"A practitioner of the healing arts may, from within the practitioner’s office, engage in selling or promoting the sale of eyeglasses and may dispense contact lenses. Only those practitioners of the healing arts who engage in the examination of eyes and prescribing of eyeglasses may engage in the sale or promotion of eyeglasses. Practitioners shall not employ any unlicensed person to fill prescriptions for eyeglasses within the practitioner’s office except as provided in subdivision A 6 of § 54.1-2901. A practitioner may also own, in whole or in part, an optical dispensary located adjacent to or at a distance from his office.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":254116,"text":"Any practitioner of the healing arts engaging in the examination of eyes and prescribing of eyeglasses shall give the patient a copy of any prescription for eyeglasses and inform the patient of his right to have the prescription filled at the establishment of his choice. No practitioner who owns, in whole or in part, an establishment dispensing eyeglasses shall make any statement or take any action, directly or indirectly, that infringes on the patient’s right to have a prescription filled at an establishment other than the one in which the practitioner has an ownership interest.\n\t\t\tDisclosure of ownership interest by a practitioner as required by § 54.1-2964 or participation by the practitioner in contractual arrangements with third-party payors or purchasers of vision care services shall not constitute a violation of this subsection.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15945,"edition_id":1,"name":"Board of Medicine","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12759,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:02:27","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:02:27","permalink":{"id":242015,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15945,"identifier":"2","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2","url":"\/54.1\/III\/29\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12759,"edition_id":1,"name":"Medicine and Other Healing Arts","identifier":"29","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12758,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":241933,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12759,"identifier":"29","token":"54.1\/III\/29","url":"\/54.1\/III\/29\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12758,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12754,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":241105,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12758,"identifier":"III","token":"54.1\/III","url":"\/54.1\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12754,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations","identifier":"54.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":239313,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12754,"identifier":"54.1","token":"54.1","url":"\/54.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":84959,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2911","catch_line":"Board; membership; terms of office; change of residence; executive director; etc","url":"\/54.1-2911\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2911","metadata":false},{"id":84827,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2912","catch_line":"Nominations","url":"\/54.1-2912\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2912","metadata":false},{"id":80842,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2912.1","catch_line":"Continued competency and office-based anesthesia requirements","url":"\/54.1-2912.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2912.1","metadata":false},{"id":76512,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2912.2","catch_line":"Board may endorse certain document","url":"\/54.1-2912.2\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2912.2","metadata":false},{"id":81436,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2912.3","catch_line":"Competency assessments of certain practitioners","url":"\/54.1-2912.3\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2912.3","metadata":false},{"id":70956,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2912.4","catch_line":"Board to post autism information","url":"\/54.1-2912.4\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2912.4","metadata":false},{"id":73769,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2912.5","catch_line":"Standard of care pertaining to prenatal and postnatal and other depression; Communication of information","url":"\/54.1-2912.5\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2912.5","metadata":false},{"id":73565,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2913","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/54.1-2913\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2913","metadata":false},{"id":63542,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2913.1","catch_line":"Acceptance of other examinations","url":"\/54.1-2913.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2913.1","metadata":false},{"id":70411,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2914","catch_line":"Sale of controlled substances and medical devices or appliances; requirements for vision care services","url":"\/54.1-2914\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2914","metadata":false},{"id":80430,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2915","catch_line":"Unprofessional conduct; grounds for refusal or disciplinary action","url":"\/54.1-2915\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2915","metadata":false},{"id":62035,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2916","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/54.1-2916\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2916","metadata":false},{"id":72288,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2917","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/54.1-2917\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2917","metadata":false},{"id":65537,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2918","catch_line":"Suspension or revocation for violation of facility licensing laws","url":"\/54.1-2918\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2918","metadata":false},{"id":83965,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2919","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/54.1-2919\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2919","metadata":false},{"id":74481,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2920","catch_line":"Notice and opportunity to be heard required before suspension or revocation of license; allegations to be in writing; practice pending appeal; notice to patients","url":"\/54.1-2920\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2920","metadata":false},{"id":82905,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2921","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/54.1-2921\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2921","metadata":false},{"id":73523,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2922","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/54.1-2922\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2922","metadata":false},{"id":77073,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2923.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/54.1-2923.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2923.1","metadata":false},{"id":87485,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2924","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/54.1-2924\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2924","metadata":false},{"id":65860,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2924.1","catch_line":"Expired","url":"\/54.1-2924.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2924.1","metadata":false},{"id":66883,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2925","catch_line":"Use of experts in disciplinary proceedings","url":"\/54.1-2925\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2925","metadata":false},{"id":62965,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2926","catch_line":"Powers of Board with respect to practitioners licensed to practice pharmacy","url":"\/54.1-2926\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2926","metadata":false},{"id":67353,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2927","catch_line":"Applicants from other states without reciprocity; temporary licenses or certificates for certain practitioners of the healing arts","url":"\/54.1-2927\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2927","metadata":false},{"id":85302,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2928","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/54.1-2928\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2928","metadata":false},{"id":67409,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2928.1","catch_line":"Restricted volunteer license","url":"\/54.1-2928.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2928.1","metadata":false},{"id":84522,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2928.2","catch_line":"Board to adopt regulations related to prescribing of opioids and buprenorphine","url":"\/54.1-2928.2\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2928.2","metadata":false},{"id":86062,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2928.3","catch_line":"Continuing learning activities","url":"\/54.1-2928.3\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2928.3","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":63542,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2913.1","catch_line":"Acceptance of other examinations","url":"\/54.1-2913.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2913.1","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":80430,"structure_id":15945,"section_number":"54.1-2915","catch_line":"Unprofessional conduct; grounds for refusal or disciplinary action","url":"\/54.1-2915\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2915","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/54.1-2914\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 19 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1954, chapter 627; in 1958, chapter 161; in 1966, chapters 166 and 657; in 1968, chapter 582; in 1970, chapter 69; in 1973, chapter 529; in 1975, chapter 508; in 1978, chapter 622; in 1979, chapter 727; in 1980, chapter 157; in 1985, chapter 96; in 1986, chapter 86; in 1988, chapters 765 and 904; in 1989, chapter 510; in 1994, chapter 70<\/a>; in 1998, chapter 580<\/a>; in 2001, chapters 268<\/a> and 858<\/a>; in 2005, chapter 163<\/a>; in 2016, chapter 495<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":74620,"section_number":"54.1-2964","catch_line":"Disclosure of interest in referral facilities and clinical laboratories","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-2964\/"},{"id":68342,"section_number":"54.1-3302","catch_line":"Restrictions on practitioners of the healing arts","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-3302\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":83528,"section_number":"54.1-2901","catch_line":"Exceptions and exemptions generally","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-2901\/"},{"id":74620,"section_number":"54.1-2964","catch_line":"Disclosure of interest in referral facilities and clinical laboratories","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-2964\/"},{"id":72064,"section_number":"54.1-3300","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-3300\/"},{"id":77846,"section_number":"54.1-3400","catch_line":"Citation","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-3400\/"}],"permalink":{"id":242053,"object_type":"law","relational_id":70411,"identifier":"54.1-2914","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2914","url":"\/54.1-2914\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/54.1-2914\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/2\/54.1-2914","dublin_core":{"Title":"Sale of controlled substances and medical devices or appliances; requirements for vision care services","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 54.1-2914","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> A practitioner of the healing arts<\/span> shall not engage in selling controlled substances unless he is licensed to do so by the Board<\/span> of Pharmacy. However, this prohibition shall not apply to a doctor of medicine, osteopathy or podiatry who administers controlled substances to his patients or provides controlled substances to his patient in a bona fide medical emergency or when pharmaceutical services are not available. Practitioners who sell or dispense controlled substances shall be subject to inspection by the Department of Health Professions to ensure compliance with Chapters 33 (§ 54.1-3300<\/a> et seq.) and 34 (§ 54.1-3400<\/a> et seq.) of this title and the Board<\/span> of Pharmacy’s regulations. This subsection shall not apply to physicians acting on behalf of the Virginia Department of Health or local health departments. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> A practitioner of the healing arts<\/span> who may lawfully sell medical appliances or devices shall not sell such appliances or devices to persons who are not his own patients and shall not sell such articles to his own patients either for his own convenience or for the purpose of supplementing his income. This subsection shall not apply to physicians acting on behalf of the Virginia Department of Health or local health departments. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> A practitioner of the healing arts<\/span> may, from within the practitioner’s office, engage in selling or promoting the sale of eyeglasses and may dispense contact lenses. Only those practitioners of the healing arts<\/span> who engage in the examination of eyes and prescribing of eyeglasses may engage in the sale or promotion of eyeglasses. Practitioners shall not employ any unlicensed person to fill prescriptions for eyeglasses within the practitioner’s office except as provided in subdivision A 6 of § 54.1-2901<\/a>. A practitioner may also own, in whole or in part, an optical dispensary located adjacent to or at a distance from his office. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Any practitioner of the healing arts<\/span> engaging in the examination of eyes and prescribing of eyeglasses shall give the patient a copy of any prescription for eyeglasses and inform the patient of his right to have the prescription filled at the establishment of his choice. No practitioner who owns, in whole or in part, an establishment dispensing eyeglasses shall make any statement or take any action, directly or indirectly, that infringes on the patient’s right to have a prescription filled at an establishment other than the one in which the practitioner has an ownership interest.\n\t\t\tDisclosure of ownership interest by a practitioner as required by § 54.1-2964<\/a> or participation by the practitioner in contractual arrangements with third-party<\/span> payors or purchasers of vision care services shall not constitute a violation of this subsection. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nSALE OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES AND MEDICAL DEVICES OR APPLIANCES; REQUIREMENTS\nFOR VISION CARE SERVICES (\u00a7 54.1-2914)\n\nA. A practitioner of the healing arts shall not engage in selling controlled\nsubstances unless he is licensed to do so by the Board of Pharmacy. However,\nthis prohibition shall not apply to a doctor of medicine, osteopathy or podiatry\nwho administers controlled substances to his patients or provides controlled\nsubstances to his patient in a bona fide medical emergency or when\npharmaceutical services are not available. Practitioners who sell or dispense\ncontrolled substances shall be subject to inspection by the Department of Health\nProfessions to ensure compliance with Chapters 33 (§ 54.1-3300 et seq.) and\n34 (§ 54.1-3400 et seq.) of this title and the Board of Pharmacy’s\nregulations. This subsection shall not apply to physicians acting on behalf of\nthe Virginia Department of Health or local health departments.\n\nB. A practitioner of the healing arts who may lawfully sell medical appliances\nor devices shall not sell such appliances or devices to persons who are not his\nown patients and shall not sell such articles to his own patients either for his\nown convenience or for the purpose of supplementing his income. This subsection\nshall not apply to physicians acting on behalf of the Virginia Department of\nHealth or local health departments.\n\nC. A practitioner of the healing arts may, from within the practitioner’s\noffice, engage in selling or promoting the sale of eyeglasses and may dispense\ncontact lenses. Only those practitioners of the healing arts who engage in the\nexamination of eyes and prescribing of eyeglasses may engage in the sale or\npromotion of eyeglasses. Practitioners shall not employ any unlicensed person to\nfill prescriptions for eyeglasses within the practitioner’s office except\nas provided in subdivision A 6 of § 54.1-2901. A practitioner may also own,\nin whole or in part, an optical dispensary located adjacent to or at a distance\nfrom his office.\n\nD. Any practitioner of the healing arts engaging in the examination of eyes and\nprescribing of eyeglasses shall give the patient a copy of any prescription for\neyeglasses and inform the patient of his right to have the prescription filled\nat the establishment of his choice. No practitioner who owns, in whole or in\npart, an establishment dispensing eyeglasses shall make any statement or take\nany action, directly or indirectly, that infringes on the patient’s right\nto have a prescription filled at an establishment other than the one in which\nthe practitioner has an ownership interest.\n\t\t\tDisclosure of ownership interest by a practitioner as required by §\n54.1-2964 or participation by the practitioner in contractual arrangements with\nthird-party payors or purchasers of vision care services shall not constitute a\nviolation of this subsection.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 54-317; 1954, c. 627; 1958, c. 161; 1966, cc. 166, 657;\n1968, c. 582; 1970, c. 69; 1973, c. 529; 1975, c. 508; 1978, c. 622; 1979, c.\n727; 1980, c. 157; 1985, c. 96; 1986, c. 86; 1988, cc. 765, 904; 1989, c. 510;\n1994, c. 70; 1998, c. 580; 2001, cc. 268, 858; 2005, c. 163; 2016, c. 495.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}