Legal Status of EPT in North Carolina

II. Specific judicial decisions concerning EPT (or like practices)

III. Specific administrative opinions by the Attorney General or medical or pharmacy boards concerning EPT (or like practices)

[+] “It is the position of the North Carolina Medical Board that prescribing drugs for an individual whom the licensee has not met or personally examined may be suitable when that individual is the partner of a patient whom the licensee is treating for gonorrhea or chlamydia.” (November 2009)

[-] “It is up to the Pharmacist to determine the legitimacy of each prescription, which arrives in the Pharmacy. One important consideration is the Board’s Rule on prescription orders, 21 N.C. Admin. Code 46.1801(b). . . . The Rule specifically provides that a Pharmacist shall not fill or refill a prescription if the order was produced from a prescriber without a prior prescriber-patient relationship or without a physical examination.”

IV. Laws that incorporate via reference guidelines as acceptable practices (including EPT)

[+] Regulations incorporate: APHA’s CCD Manual (as revised); any guidelines or recommendations published by CDC (as revised) shall supersede those contained in the CCD Manual. 10A N.C. Admin. Code 41A.0201.

[+] For gonorrhea and Chlamydia, regulations incorporate recommendations contained in the U.S. Public Health Service STD Treatment Guidelines (as revised). 10A N.C. Admin. Code 41A.0204.

V. Prescription requirements

[-] Prescription label must bear patient name. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 106-134.1.

VI. Assessment of EPT’s legal status with brief comments

EPT is permissible. The Medical Board expressly supports EPT for the treatment of chlamydia and gonorrhea and deems it an appropriate practice, which is further supported by the incorporation of CDC Treatment Guidelines.