Conaway & Lagana Bill to Ensure Safe Transmittal of Electronic Rx’s to Prevent Substance Abuse Now Law

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Herb Conaway, Jr., M.D. and Joe Lagana to ensure that electronic systems used by health care providers to transmit prescriptions for controlled dangerous substances meet the requirements outlined by the federal government has been signed into law.
“By encouraging the increased use of electronic prescribing we can help reduce the potential for fraud, diversion, and abuse of prescription medications,” said Conaway (D-Burlington).
The law (A-3831) requires each owner or administrator of an electronic health records system that is used to transmit electronic prescriptions in New Jersey to ensure that the system meets the federal requirements to accept, process, and transmit prescriptions for Schedule II controlled dangerous substances.
“The electronic transmittal of prescriptions is becoming increasingly prevalent, which is encouraging,” said Lagana (D-Bergen/Passaic). “However, it’s crucial that these transmittal systems meet stringent security requirements in order to effectively combat potential opioid abuse from every angle.”