In an effort to curb black market sales of prescription painkillers New Jersey is implementing changes to its paper prescription blanks. These changes represent the first change to the State’s prescription blanks since 2004.
The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs recently adopted new regulations that modify security features on the State’s prescription blanks.
Prescribes and pharmacists should recognize the new scripts by their different color. The new prescription blanks will be green on the front and blue on the back (compare with the prior scripts that were blue on the front and green in the bank).
The new security measures, which are being phased in during approximately the first six months of 2014, include:
- Color changing ink — thermochromic ink will respond to body heat. According to NJ Attorney General’s press release, “[t]he heat activated ink will appear in a small Rx logo on the front of the prescription blank. It will fade when touched, and returned to its original color when it cools.”
- .5 point micro printing — the front of each blank will contain microprint that is not only readable when viewed at 500% magnification but would not appear if scanned or copied.
- “VOID” — hidden in the blank will be the word “void” that while invisible on a genuine script will become visible if scanned or copied.
- Alphanumeric Code – each prescription blank will contain a unique 15 digit ID number identifying the vendor, vendor’s order number, and a six digit serial number for each separate prescription blank.
- Barcode — each prescription blank will contain a barcode that will match the script’s 15 digit ID number. Using this barcode pharmacists will be able to scan the data on the script into NJ’s Prescription Monitoring Program.
If you have questions regarding the new prescription requirements, pharmacy law, or need other legal assistance, please contact our office.