Ask the Board of Nursing: Clinic Medication Dispensing

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Is it considered “dispensing” if a clinic without a dispensing license is handing out syringes of medications from the clinic (to clarify: prescription medications pulled up
in a clinic into a syringe and handed to a patient to inject at home). 

I do not believe this is legal, but we see many clinics doing this.

Under the Pharmacy Practice Act, "dispense" means to deliver prescription medication to the ultimate user. The Pharmacy Practice Act defines the practice of pharmacy as dispensing, selling, distributing, transferring possession of, vending, bartering, or administering drugs, medicines, by prescription and order by a practitioner authorized by law to prescribe drugs or medicines. The practice you are referring to is a violation of Pharmacy Practice Act, which would also violate the Nurse Practice Act. This is a common occurrence in the weight loss clinics. These medications need to be shipped directly to the patient. The clinic should not be the middle man for these medications.

Shannon McKinney, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, RNC-OB

Assistant Director for Advanced Practice

Arkansas State Board of Nursing