                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

PRESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES AND DEVICES BY LICENSED PHYSICIAN
ASSISTANTS (§ 54.1-2952.1)

A. In accordance with the provisions of this section and pursuant to the
requirements of Chapter 33 (&#xA7; 54.1-3300 et seq.), a licensed physician
assistant shall have the authority to prescribe controlled substances and
devices as set forth in Chapter 34 (&#xA7; 54.1-3400 et seq.) and as provided in
a practice agreement or by the credentialing and privileging practice
arrangement requirements of a facility described in subsection E of &#xA7;
54.1-2951.1. Such practice agreements shall include a statement of the
controlled substances the physician assistant is or is not authorized to
prescribe and may restrict such prescriptive authority as deemed appropriate by
the patient care team physician or patient care team podiatrist.

B. It is unlawful for the physician assistant to prescribe controlled substances
or devices pursuant to this section unless such prescription is authorized by
the practice agreement or by the credentialing and privileging practice
arrangement requirements of a facility described in subsection E of &#xA7;
54.1-2951.1 and the requirements in this section.

C. The Board of Medicine, in consultation with the Board of Pharmacy, shall
promulgate such regulations governing the prescriptive authority of physician
assistants as are deemed reasonable and necessary to ensure an appropriate
standard of care for patients.
			The regulations promulgated pursuant to this section shall include, at a
minimum, (i) such requirements as may be necessary to ensure continued physician
assistant competency, which may include continuing education, testing, and any
other requirement and shall address the need to promote ethical practice, an
appropriate standard of care, patient safety, the use of new pharmaceuticals,
and appropriate communication with patients, and (ii) a requirement that the
physician assistant disclose to his patients his name, address, and telephone
number and that he is a physician assistant. If a patient or his representative
requests to speak with the patient care team physician or patient care team
podiatrist, the physician assistant shall arrange for communication between the
parties or provide the necessary information.

D. This section shall not prohibit a licensed physician assistant from
administering controlled substances in compliance with the definition of
&#8220;administer&#8221; in &#xA7; 54.1-3401 or from receiving and dispensing
manufacturers&#8217; professional samples of controlled substances in compliance
with the provisions of this section.

HISTORY: 1992, c. 793; 1997, c. 806; 1999, c. 745; 2001, c. 465; 2003, c. 510;
2007, c. 16; 2016, c. 450; 2019, cc. 92, 137; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 210; 2024,
c. 116.