Reminder: CURES duty-to-consult takes effect October 2, 2018 Effective October 2, 2018, physicians must consult California’s prescription drug monitoring database (the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System, or CURES) – prior to prescribing Schedule II, III or IV controlled substances. All individuals practicing in California who possess both a state regulatory board license authorized to prescribe, dispense, furnish or order controlled substances and a Drug Enforcement Administration Controlled Substance Registration Certificate must be registered to use CURES. Because of the critical importance of adequate technical support for physicians who will have to rely on CURES as a ... July 24, 2018 General Drug Prescribing/Dispensing, CURES 0 0 Comment Read More »
Are You Ready for CURES! Effective October 2, 2018, physicians must consult California’s prescription drug monitoring database (the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System, or CURES) – prior to prescribing Schedule II, III or IV controlled substances. All individuals practicing in California who possess both a state regulatory board license authorized to prescribe, dispense, furnish or order controlled substances and a Drug Enforcement Administration Controlled Substance Registration Certificate must be registered to use CURES. Because of the critical importance of adequate technical support for physicians who will have to rely on CURES as a part of their ... June 26, 2018 General CURES 0 0 Comment Read More »
DOJ certifies CURES: Physicians must check database prior to prescribing effective October 2, 2018 The California Department of Justice (DOJ) has certified that as of April 2, 2018, the Controlled Substance Utilization and Evaluation System (CURES) – California’s prescription drug monitoring database – is ready for statewide use. The certification starts a six-month implementation period for the duty to consult requirements enacted by the Legislature in SB 482 (Lara, 2016). Effective October 2, 2018, physicians must consult CURES prior to prescribing Schedule II, III or IV controlled substances to a patient for the first time and at least once every four months thereafter if ... April 9, 2018 General Department of Justice, DOJ, Drug Prescribing, CURES 0 0 Comment Read More »
Court hears oral arguments in Oregon prescription drug monitoring database case The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments earlier this month in a patient privacy case involving law enforcement access to Oregon’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). The California Medical Association (CMA) joined the American Medical Association and other western state medical associations in 2015 to file an amicus brief with the appeals court challenging the authority of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to obtain patients' private prescription records without a court order. In this case, the DEA sought patient-specific information from Oregon’s PDMP through the use of ... November 28, 2016 CMA, General CURES, Drug Prescribing, Privacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
UC Davis and CDPH conduct survey of physicians on CURES The opioid overdose epidemic in California has brought with it heightened interest in California’s Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES). Now, a new effort to understand CURES usage and controlled substance prescribing in California has begun under two multi-year grants to improve CURES and prevent prescription drug overdoses. As part of the grant project, the University of California, Davis, and the California Department of Public Health – in collaboration with the Medical Board of California – are conducting a physician survey to provide insight and information regarding the ... September 22, 2016 General CURES 0 0 Comment Read More »
Deadline to register for CURES is July 1, 2016 Under California law, all individuals practicing in California who possess both a state regulatory board license authorized to prescribe, dispense, furnish or order controlled substances and a Drug Enforcement Administration Controlled Substance Registration Certificate (DEA Certificate) must register to use the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) by July 1, 2016. The California Medical Association (CMA) has compiled a list of educational materials to familiarize physicians with the registration process and key features of the newly upgraded system, CURES 2.0. These resources are available at www.cmanet.org/cures. Among the resources ... June 8, 2016 General Important Deadline, Webinars, CURES 0 0 Comment Read More »
Opioids: CMA publishes safe prescribing resources for physicians The California Medical Association (CMA) has published a members-only resource page to provide physicians with the most current information and resources on prescribing controlled substances safely and effectively to relieve pain, while simultaneously reducing the risk of prescription medication misuse, addiction and overdose. The page includes both of CMA’s white papers on prescribing opioids, links to CMA’s health law library resources on the topic, the Medical Board of California’s "Guidelines on Prescribing Controlled Substances for Pain," a listing of continuing medical education courses and webinars on pain management and safe ... June 8, 2016 General Drug Prescribing, Opioids, CURES, Drug Abuse, PDMP, Prescription Drugs 0 0 Comment Read More »
Reminder: Deadline to register for CURES is July 1, 2016 Under California law, all individuals practicing in California who possess both a state regulatory board license authorized to prescribe, dispense, furnish or order controlled substances and a Drug Enforcement Administration Controlled Substance Registration Certificate (DEA Certificate) must register to use the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) by July 1, 2016. The California Medical Association (CMA) has compiled a list of educational materials to familiarize physicians with the registration process and key features of the newly upgraded system, CURES 2.0. These resources are available at www.cmanet.org/cures. Physicians who experience ... April 18, 2016 General Webinars, CURES, Drug Prescribing 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA tells California Supreme Court it must protect patient data in CURES The California Medical Association (CMA) has filed an amicus brief with the California Supreme Court asking that it give meaningful privacy protection to patient data contained in the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) database. CMA was joined on the brief by the American Medical Association, California Psychiatric Association, California Dental Association and the American Dental Association. This case, Lewis v. Superior Court (Medical Board), examines the constitutionality of the Medical Board of California's practice of routinely data mining the confidential prescription records of California patients. In response ... November 9, 2015 General CMA Legal Case List, CURES, Amicus Briefs, California Supreme Court 0 0 Comment Read More »
Governor signs bill to extend CURES registration deadline for prescribers and dispensers In the final days of the legislative session, the California Medical Association (CMA) worked to pass Assembly Bill 679 to extend by six months the registration deadline for the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES). All individuals practicing in California who possess both a state regulatory board license authorized to prescribe, dispense, furnish or order controlled substances and a Drug Enforcement Administration Controlled Substance Registration Certificate (DEA Certificate) now have until July 1, 2016, to register to use CURES. In 2013, Senate Bill 809 required the California Department ... October 14, 2015 General Advocacy, CURES, Legislation, Prescription Drugs 0 0 Comment Read More »
