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    Effective December 31, 2020, OCSA will no longer be accepting paper CDS applications for a new registration and renewal registration within the current renewal period.  Please go to the OCSA online website to register or renew a controlled dangerous substances registration.

    OCSA is accepting paper CDS applications for an address change, name change, change of ownership, replacement/duplicate copy of CDS certificate, and expired renewal registration.  Please submit the CDS application​ to the Office of Controlled Substances Administration, 4201 Patterson Avenue, 5th floor, Baltimore, MD  21215.

     
     New Legislative Mandates

    Continuing Education Requirements click here​​​​​​

    Archives
    Previous memos concerning your CDS registration click here​

    ​​The Office of Controlled Substances Administration (OCSA)​

    Update: Electronic Prescriptions – Controlled Dangerous Substances December 21, 2021

    Health care practitioners must apply for a waiver by January 1, 2022. Compliance actions will be delayed until January 1, 2023.

    To apply for a waiver, visit the Office of Controlled Substances website, Quick Links,

    Electronic Prescribing Waiver Request.

    Effective January 1, 2022, Senate Bill 0166 (CH0299)/House Bill 0512 (CH0230) (2020) Drugs and Devices – Electronic Prescriptions – Controlled Dangerous Substances.

     requires licensed health care providers to electronically prescribe prescriptions for controlled dangerous substances and allows for waivers to be granted under certain circumstances. The effective date of the state law aligned with the comparable federal law (Section 2003 of the SUPPORT Act). In December 2020, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented the first phase of this mandate by naming the standard that prescribers must use for e-prescribing transmissions and delaying compliance actions until January 1, 2022.

    On November 2, 2021, CMS announced they are delaying the start date for compliance actions to January 1, 2023, in response to stakeholder feedback. In order to maintain alignment with the federal government, MDH is also delaying compliance actions to January 1, 2023

    However, to maintain compliance with Health General Article, 21-220(C) which requires implementation of e-prescribing on January 1, 2022 , a health care practitioner who is unable to electronically transmit prescriptions for controlled dangerous substance drugs must request a waiver  from the electronic prescribing requirement. All requested waivers will be granted for calendar year 2022 only.


    Update: Suspension of disciplinary actions - Epidiolex December 22, 2021 ​

    ​Purpose – The purpose of this statement is to provide clarification to Maryland pharmacists, pharmacies and other licensees dealing with patient prescriptions for Epidiolex on or after December 22, 2021. 

    ​​​As a result of actions under the federal Agriculture Improvement Act (AIA), the drug Epidiolex was descheduled under the federal Uniform Controlled Substances Act (CSA). On August 21, 2020, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued an Interim Final Rule incorporating the AIA into DEA regulations officially removing any federal controlled substance designation from the prescribing and dispensing of the drug, Epidiolex. Following descheduling by Congress, the FDA approved the drug’s revised non-scheduled label. The FDA’s National Drug Code directory also shows the current status of the drug as non-scheduled. Accordingly, pursuant to the AIA, Epidiolex is not a controlled substance under the CSA and is therefore no longer subject to the CSA and its implementing regulations. 

    The Maryland Uniform Controlled Substances Act still lists the drug’s ingredient as a Schedule V controlled substance (See, MD Code Ann. Crim. Law §5-406(f)) and cannot be updated until the 2022 legislative session, as such this has created a temporary conflict between federal and state law. In order to maintain alignment with the federal government, until the Maryland Legislature can take action to deschedule Epidiolex, MDH will exercise its regulatory discretion. Effective December 22, 2021, MDH and the Office of Controlled Substance Administration will no longer pursue disciplinary action against licensees or registrants that appropriately receive, process, and dispense Epidiolex prescriptions as a non-controlled drug.

    Coronavirus Disease 2019 

    (COVID-19) Updates

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    Controlled Dangerous Substances 

    Frequently Asked Questions During 

    Covid-19 (Updated May 15, 2020) 

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    Click Image Above for

    Coronavirus Resources, Registrant Updates and Out of State Waiver​



    OCSA Alerts

     

    Update: On March 9, 2021, Governor Larry Hogan issued Executive Order No. 21-03-09-03​ addressing the reinstatement of Expiration Dates for expiring license, registrations, and permits effective June 30, 2021.  Please see the Updated Memo​ for additional information on how this affects your CDS registration. 


    The OCSA enforces the Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) Act and ensures the availability of drugs for legitimate medical and scientific purposes.  OCSA also issues CDS permits to practitioners, researchers, and establishments that administer, prescribe, dispense, distribute, manufacture, conduct research and conduct chemical analysis of CDS.
     
    ​​Pill Mill Tip Line
    (888)-829-1115

    Distributors of CDS: Report of Suspicious Orders ​click here
    ​​​

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