3A4 Classification of drugs

Class A: drugs that pose a very high risk of harm

Class B: drugs that pose a high risk of harm
Class C: drugs that pose a moderate risk of harm

8 Exemption from section 6 and 7

Authorized prescribers and designated prescribers must can produce, prescribe, supply or administer
controlled drugs
Pharmacist or a person with authority and under supervision of a pharmacist can produce, manufacture or
supply controlled drugs that are listed in the pharmaceutical schedule for the purposes of a person eligible
for a subsidy for the supply of the controlled drug
Pharmacist can supply controlled drugs for the purposes of the hospital they are employed in
Pharmacist can supply controlled drugs in pursuant to a prescription or order issued by authorized or
designated prescribers.
The patient of the controlled drug or person that they are under the care of can administer the controlled
drug in accordance to the advice of the prescriber.
A person can enter or leave NZ possessing a controlled drug for their medical condition if the quantity is no
greater than required for treating the condition for 1 month and was supplied by an authorized prescriber in
NZ, or lawfully prescribed overseas.

12A Authority for designated prescribers to prescribe controlled drugs:

Lists the drugs that designated prescribers are authorized to prescribe

12B Permissions relating to prescription of controlled drugs authorized under regulation

The controlled drug can be administered to the patient by:

o The patient themselves with the advice of a prescriber
o A person who has the care of the patient with the advice of the prescriber

15 Hospitals and other intuitions

Managers of hospitals or institutions for care of the sick may possess any controlled drug listed under the
Act and any partially exempted drug.

21 Restrictions on application of section 8 of Act

No practitioner shall give a prescription for the supply of a controlled drug unless it is for the patient under
their care.
No dentist or designated prescriber can give a prescription for the supply of a drug unless it is for someone
under their care and a supply of less than 3 days.
States other restrictions on the supply of a drug.

22 Restriction on supply of certain controlled drugs

Lists the controlled drugs that cannot be supplied unless approved by the Minister
Excludes cocaine, morphine and opium

24 Supply on a prescription

Only the person who is supplying the drug can deliver it to the person it is intended for unless there is
written authority under the terms of regulation 23 or unless the person delivering the drug has care of the
patient it is intended for or is authorized as the last-mentioned person to accept delivery of the controlled
drug.

25 Labelling containers

Container of controlled drugs must contain in uppercase and block capital letters CONTROLLED DRUG
followed immediately with:
o Name of the controlled drug
o Direction for use, dose and frequency
o Form of the drug
o Name and address of manufacturer, packer, or seller.

27 Controlled drugs used for exempted drugs

28 Custody of controlled drugs

A controlled drug not required for immediate use must be:

o Stored in a locked compartment constructed of metal or concrete
o Ensure that the compartment is fixed into the building
o Ensure the key is kept in a safe place when not being used.

29. Requirements of a prescription for controlled drugs

Every prescription for a controlled drug must

a) be signed physically by the controlled drug prescriber in his or her own handwriting; and
b) be legible and indelible; and
c) be dated with the date on which it was signed; and
d) set out, or be stamped with, the address of the controlled drug prescriber; and
e) set out the surname, initials of the first names, and address of
f) the person to whom the controlled drug is intended to be administered; or
g) the person who has custody of the animal to which the controlled drug is intended to be administered
h) if it is for a person who is under the age of 12 years, set out in words the age in years and months of
that person
Set out the dose and frequency of the dose, or, in the case of a controlled drug for external use, directions
for use
o Where it prescribes an unusual dose, or what may be regarded as a dangerous dose, of any
controlled drug, have the amount of the dose emphasised by being underlined, with the initials of
the controlled drug prescriber set out in the margin opposite.

31. Restrictions on supply on prescription

A person may not supply a controlled drug on a prescription
a) More than once on that same prescription; or
b) More than 7 days after the date of the prescription, in the case of a Class A controlled drug or a Class B
controlled drug; or
c) More than 6 months after the date of the prescription, in the case of a Class C controlled drug; or
d) In a quantity that, having regard to the dose and frequency of dose or the directions given by the controlled
drug prescriber, is greater than a quantity sufficient for use for a period of 1 month.

On the first occasion of dispensing a prescription or, in the case of an oral prescription, on receipt of the
written confirmation of that prescription, there must be written or stamped on the face of the prescription,
above the signature of the controlled drug prescriber, in such manner and place that no part of the
prescription is obliterated,
a) the name of the proprietor of the business at which the prescription is dispensed; and
b) the address of the premises from which the prescription is dispensed; and
c) the date on which the prescription is dispensed.

On every subsequent occasion of dispensing a prescription, there must be written or stamped on the face or
back of the prescription, in such manner and place that no part of the prescription is obliterated,
a)
the name of the proprietor of the business at which the prescription is dispensed; and
b)
the address of the premises from which the prescription is dispensed; and
c)
the date on which the prescription, or any indicated part or portion of the prescription, is dispensed.

32 Verification of prescriptions

Controlled drugs can only be supplied if the signature of the prescriber is genuine and has not been altered

33 Retention of prescriptions

All controlled drug prescriptions must be retained for four years from the date of supply, or from the last
date of supply if the controlled drug is supplied on more than one occasion on the same prescription
All prescriptions shall be retained in an orderly and consecutive manner and available for officers to make
copies of on demand.
The prescriptions are stored on the property of the business where it was supplied or in a place approved by
the Medical Officer of Health.

34 Emergencies

A pharmacist may supply a controlled drug by oral communication as long as:

o A prescription is prepared in accordance with regulation 29 confirming the oral prescription
o The prescription is endorsed with the date of the oral prescription and confirmation
o Must be done in 2 business days after the oral prescription and delivered by the prescriber to the
pharmacist who it was communicated to.

37 Registers, records and returns for pharmacists and dispensing practitioners

For the authorized prescriber, they must keep:

o A Controlled Drug Register consisting of a bound volume of consecutively numbered pages with
the following table consisting of: Date, Name and address of patient, Name and address of
supplier, Form of drug, Prescription number, Name of authority, Issued/dispensed/administered by,
Initials of person checking
o A prescription book containing a separate record of every prescrtiption dispensed including
repeated prescriptions that must have:
a) the surname, initials of the first names, and address of the person for whose use the
controlled drug is intended:
b) the surname, initials of the first names, and address of the person prescribing the
controlled drug:
c) the proportion and total amount of the controlled drug so dispensed:
d) the date on which the controlled drug was delivered to the person for whose use it was
dispensed or to some other authorised person on his or her behalf.

The register and book must be retained continuously on the premises as a permanent record.

40 Entry in Controlled Drugs Register and Prescription Book

Every entry into the documents must be made by the person who dealt with the controlled drugs and made
not later than the next ordinary business day
Entries must not contain false information.
Every entry made must have an initial by the person who supplied it
Mistakes are corrected by a marginal note or footnote giving the correct particulars and containing the date
on which the note was written