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Did You Receive an Email Requiring Registration to the State’s PMP? - 02/28/2024

TMA can confirm that an email sent Friday afternoon asking physicians to register for a PMP Aware account are indeed legitimate; however, there is no deadline to register.

Cannabidiol Takes a Big Step Toward Respectability - 01/25/2024

In September, the DEA issued an order listing all drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that contain cannabidiol but no more than 0.1 percent of the chief psychoactive agent in cannabis as Schedule V drugs — those with the least potential for abuse. So far, Epidiolex is the only medication that fits that description.

Help Promote National Drug Prescription Take Back Day on Oct. 28 - 10/19/2023

Prescription Drug Take Back Day, which allows people to dispose of prescription drugs safely and anonymously, is scheduled for Oct. 26 at locations throughout the state.

Physicians Will Lead Legislature’s Controlled Substances Committee - 07/17/2023

When a special joint committee of the Texas Legislature tackles issues with controlled substances this year, physician-lawmakers will take the lead.

Medicare Part B Inflation Rebate Takes Effect, Lowering Copays - 06/27/2023

A new federal law requires drug companies to rebate Medicare if they raise certain drug prices higher than the rate of inflation, which has translated into lower copays for some Medicare patients.

DEA Proposed Rules Address Telehealth Prescribing Post PHE - 03/08/2023

Physicians found new flexibility in prescribing controlled substances via telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that the public health emergency is ending, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has proposed new rules for prescribers it says could preserve some of those flexibilities “with appropriate safeguards.”

Pharmacy Rule Opens Door to Improve Access to Low-Cost Medications - 02/06/2023

Given the high cost of medications, pharmacies should be sharing low-cost options with patients and allowing them to transfer their prescriptions as needed – without imposing additional administrative hassles on physician practices.

Counterfeit Medications Proliferate in Patient Care – and They’re Not Just Illicit Opioids - 01/31/2023

Counterfeit medications are a growing problem that can undermine medical treatment, and all physicians can help prevent their spread by asking patients simple questions.

TMB Rewrites Rule to Improve Chronic Pain Care for Texas Patients - 01/19/2023

The Texas Medical Board recently revised one of its rules in a way that makes it easier for physician practices to provide more comprehensive pain management.

Nationwide Adderall Shortage Expected to Last Through 2022 - 10/31/2022

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expects a nationwide shortage of Adderall and Adderall IR to extend through the end of the year, following manufacturing delays by the largest producer of Adderall in the country, Teva Pharmaceuticals LLC.

TMA Urges CMS to Nix Penalties Related to E-Prescribing Controlled Substances - 10/14/2022

The Texas Medical Association is pushing back against proposed penalties for physicians who don’t electronically prescribe controlled substances.

Are You Ready for Changes to Opioid Prescribing in Texas? - 10/14/2022

Beginning Sept. 1, all prescribers will be required to set up an account with the state’s prescription monitoring program, known as PMP Aware. The Texas State Board of Pharmacy will also begin issuing new official prescription forms that include advanced security features designed to help deter fraud.

Texas Medical Board Posts More Details on E-Prescribing Waivers - 12/10/2021

Prescriptions for all controlled substances must be filed electronically. However, prescribers who demonstrate financial or technical hardships, or other exceptional circumstances, can apply for a waiver that, if approved, will grant a one-year delay.

Biden Executive Order Likely to Prompt Rulemaking on Noncompetes - 07/19/2021

Directly and indirectly, the Biden administration’s wide-ranging Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy features myriad implications for health care and physician practices. The executive order, issued earlier this month, takes aim at hospital and insurance market consolidation, noncompete agreements, lack of competition among drug manufacturers, and exorbitant costs of prescription drugs and hearing aids.

What You Need to Know About Mandatory E-Prescribing Controlled Substances - 01/12/2021

The Texas Medical Association has created a “frequently asked questions” (FAQ) document that can help you understand state and federal laws that went into effect Jan. 1 requiring physicians to electronically prescribe controlled substances as well as various waivers.

How to Prescribe Controlled Substances Under COVID-19 Waivers - 08/19/2020

If you treat patients with chronic pain, you can temporarily prescribe certain controlled substances during a telemedicine visit under state and federal waivers issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pharmacy Board Limits Chloroquine Prescriptions - 08/05/2020

Per the National Institutes of Health (NIH) COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines, which cites insufficient clinical data, the Texas Medical Association COVID-19 Task Force recommends against using chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19, “except in a clinical trial.”

PMP Checks Won’t Be Necessary for In-Facility Medications, TMB Says - 02/21/2020

Thanks to Texas Medical Association advocacy, the Texas Medical Boardhas refocused its guidance on when physicians will be required to check the Texas Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) before prescribing certain medications starting March 1.

No Cannabis for Pregnant Women or New Mothers, FDA Warns - 10/22/2019

Texas physicians are encouraged to help the U.S. Food and Drug Administration spread the word to pregnant and breast-feeding mothers to avoid using cannabis and cannabis-derived products.

TMA Urges Public Education As Hemp-Based Products Become Legal - 10/16/2019

State health officials should take steps to ensure that a new law that legalizes the production and sale of hemp and some hemp products helps Texas physicians protect the health of patients who use those products. The Texas Medical Association sent that message in a letter last week to the Department of State Health Services, which was taking comments related to implementation of House Bill 1325.

$18 Million Grants to Help Texas Fight Opioid Abuse - 08/12/2019

More than 70 Texas health institutions have received almost $18 million in federal funds to combat the ongoing nationwide opioid epidemic.

TMA Pushing To Delay PMP Mandate, Buy Time for Integration With EHRs - 06/19/2019

Starting Sept. 1, physicians will be required to check the PMP before issuing any prescription for opioids, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, or carisoprodol, a mandate the Texas Legislature passed during the 2017 session. As this year’s session of the legislature enters its back stretch, TMA is hoping to persuade lawmakers to delay that mandate until March 2020 to allow for a widespread rollout of PMP-EHR integration.

Keep Your Patients and Practice Safe from Opioid Prescription Fraud - 06/19/2019

If you prescribe opioids, it’s important to protect your practice and your patients from fraud and substance-use disorder. One way to ensure that patients accurately follow your prescription is to have them sign an informed consent and opioid treatment agreement.

Google Your Way To Disposing Of Unused Drugs? - 03/21/2019

If you’re looking for a way to help your patients put a dent in the nation’s opioid epidemic, look no further than Google Maps.  Google Maps recently added a search feature that will make it easier for your patients to dispose of unwanted and unused medications.  

Pharmacy Board Nixes Proposal That Could’ve Broadened Pharmacists’ Scope - 03/14/2019

Medicine’s objections were strong, and the state’s draft rules allowing pharmacists to perform medication therapy management services aren’t going to make it after all.