A. Any prescriber who is licensed in the Commonwealth to treat human patients and is authorized pursuant to §§ 54.1-3303 and 54.1-3408 to issue a prescription for a covered substance shall be registered with the Prescription Monitoring Program by the Department of Health Professions.
B. Prescribers registered with the Prescription Monitoring Program shall, at the time of initiating a new course of treatment to a human patient that includes the prescribing of benzodiazepine or an opiate anticipated at the onset of treatment to last more than 90 consecutive days, request information from the Director for the purpose of determining (i) what, if any, other covered substances are currently prescribed to the patient and (ii) whether and under what circumstances the patient has experienced an opioid overdose. In addition, any prescriber of controlled substances approved for use in opioid addiction therapy shall, prior to or as a part of execution of a treatment agreement with the patient, request information from the Director for the purpose of determining (a) what, if any, other covered substances the patient is currently being prescribed and (b) whether and under what circumstances the patient has experienced an opioid overdose. Nothing in this section shall prohibit prescribers from making additional periodic requests for information from the Director as may be required by routine prescribing practices.
C. The Secretary of Health and Human Resources may identify and publish a list of benzodiazepines or opiates that have a low potential for abuse by human patients. Prescribers who prescribe such identified benzodiazepines or opiates shall not be required to meet the provisions of subsection B. In addition, a prescriber shall not be required to meet the provisions of subsection B if the course of treatment arises from pain management relating to dialysis, cancer treatments, or sickle cell anemia.
D. Prior to issuing a written certification for the use of cannabis oil in accordance with § 4.1-1601, a practitioner shall request information from the Director for the purpose of determining what, if any, other covered substances have been dispensed to the patient.