There are a number of laws governing the administration of vaccines. Particularly with the passage ofSenate Bill 277 (Stats. 2015, ch. 35), which removes the personal belief exemption (PBE) from schoo...

Drug compounding is the process by which drugs are specially combined, mixed or altered to meet the health care needs of a patient with certain conditions or other complications that prevent the patie...

Physicians are increasingly faced with patient requests to forward prescriptions to pharmacies outsideof the country. Although patients may be able to obtain low cost prescriptions from other countrie...

This document provides a detailed discussion of the laws, both state and federal, related to the dispensingof controlled substances by physicians. For information on prescribing controlled substances,...

Prescribing controlled substances requires more stringent procedures than prescribing other medications.The California Uniform Controlled Substances Act (Health & Safety Code §§11000 et ...

The unauthorized prescribing of controlled substances by physicians and non-physicians violates bothstate and federal law and such violations may result in severe civil and criminal penalties. The fol...

The following discusses legal protections afforded to patients in pain and to physicians who appropriatelyprescribe opiate medications to relieve intractable pain. It includes a discussion of the laws...

Prescribing medication for patients is one of the most common therapeutic acts in which physiciansengage. Proper prescribing relieves symptoms and helps to cure disease. Careless and excessive prescri...

Physicians have encountered problems with drug formularies and prescription drug benefit plans. Formulary restrictions, for instance, may not always align with what the physician believes is medically...

Physicians who dispense drugs to their patients from their offices should be aware of the relevant legalrequirements. There are state and federal laws and regulations that govern the dispensing of dru...

The Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) is California’s statewide database of Schedule II through IV controlled substances dispensed to patients in the state. (CURES/...

On October 5, 2015, California became the fifth state in the nation to allow physicians to prescribeterminally ill patients medication to end their lives. ABX2-15, the ...

Many physicians have embraced the use of mobile devices not only in their personal lives but in their practices.  The use of smartphones, tablets and other mobile technology can allow physicians ...

Under the provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA or the ...

The use of social media by physicians, hospitals and other health care providers has changed the way providers and patients communicate and interact with each other.  As more physicians and their...

Under the provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, also known as the Stimulus Act), physicians are eligible for federal incentive payments for demonstrating meaningful use ofa c...

One of the most daunting tasks facing physicians making the transition to electronic health records (EHR) is selecting the right EHR system for their individual practice.  There are hundreds of s...

Exercising professional judgment to determine the medical treatments that are most likely to beeffective for attaining a particular patient’s goals of care is an integral part of a physician&rsq...

The following discusses applicable considerations when considering agreements for payment to secure availability for on-call coverage. For information on the emergency transfer laws in general, see CM...

This document discusses the most frequently asked questions concerning physician-assisted suicideand the historical development of laws and policy affecting how and whether physicians can aid apatient...