# Title 50 — North Dakota Board of Medicine

## Article 50-05 — Prescriptive Practices

## Chapter 50-05-02 — Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Rule

### § 50-05-02-01. Prescription drug monitoring program rule.

1. Every practitioner who prescribes a controlled substance in North Dakota shall register with
the prescription drug monitoring program.
2. a. When a practitioner determines that reported drugs will be prescribed to a patient for a
period to exceed twelve weeks, the practitioner shall request a prescription drug
monitoring program report for that patient and, at a minimum, at least semiannually
thereafter.
b. This requirement does not apply to reported drugs prescribed to patients in a controlled
setting in which the drugs are locked and administered to the patient, for example,
admitted hospital or hospice patients, long-term care patients or group home residents.
3. In addition to those reports requested under subsection 2, practitioners shall request a
prescription drug monitoring program report when it is documented in the prescribing
practitioner's medical record for that patient that the patient exhibits signs associated with
diversion or abuse, including:
a. Selling prescription drugs;
b. Forging or altering a prescription;
c. Stealing or borrowing reported drugs;
d. Taking more than the prescribed dosage of any reported drug;
e. Having a drug screen that indicates the presence of additional or illicit drugs;
f. Being arrested, convicted, or diverted by the criminal justice system for a drug-related
offense;
g. Receiving reported drugs from providers not reported to the treating practitioner;
h. Having a law enforcement or health professional express concern about the patient's use
of drugs.
i. Violating any prescribing agreement with the physician;
j. Frequently requests early refills of a reported drug for any reason;
k. Appears impaired or excessively sedated to the physician in any patient encounter; and
l. Has a history of drug abuse dependency.
4. A practitioner shall document the receipt and assessment of prescription drug monitoring
program reports made under this rule.
History: Effective January 1, 2018; amended effective October 1, 2022.
General Authority: NDCC 19-03.5-09(2)
Law Implemented: NDCC 19-03.5-09(2)
