Texas DPS Helping Practitioners with Hydrocodone Change
The agency has increased staffing and resources to respond to medical practitioners serving Texas patients who require prescriptions for hydrocodone combination products, which are being moved Oct. 6 from classification as a Schedule III drug to more-restrictive Schedule II class.
The Texas Department of Public Safety announced that it has increased staffing and resources to respond to medical practitioners serving Texas patients who require prescriptions for hydrocodone combination products, which are being moved Oct. 6 from classification as a Schedule III drug to more-restrictive Schedule II class. On that date, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's rescheduling of hydrocodone combination products will increase the restrictions on prescribing and dispensing practices for hydrocodone combination drugs.
Physicians who prescribe them will be required to use prescription pads provided by DPS. To assist medical professionals, DPS is offering extended customer service from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; an automated call-back system allowing customers to make an appointment for an agent's return call; increased staff to help process registration modifications; and extended work hours for staff in both the customer contact center and order fulfillment areas.
Practitioners needing assistance can call 512-424-7293 or visit the customer contact center at https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/rsd/contact/default.aspx and then select "Texas Prescription Program" from the drop-down menu.
Controlled substances with accepted medical uses are classified in one of four schedules; substances with the highest potential for harm and abuse are placed in Schedule II and substances with progressively less potential for harm and abuse are placed in Schedules III through V. Schedule I is reserved for controlled substances with no currently accepted medical use and lack of accepted safety for use.