House bill 209 was passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Deal on April 24th. The changes included in this law took effect as of July 1st, 2013.

Among these changes were to remove any requirement for hard copy prescription pads to have an identifying lot number and a sequential serial number on each separate prescription in a pad. These requirements were replaced by allowing the Board to approve and adopt the use of prescription pads or paper that meet the requirements of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Further, hard copy prescription security paper vendors no longer have to be approved by the board. Any such vendor that produces CMS approved security paper can market that paper for sale in Georgia.

Lastly, the board’s seal of approval does not have to be affixed to any hard copy prescription security paper if that paper meets the CMS security paper requirements.

In effect, because of these changes in the law, it is unnecessary for the Board to have a policy for use of security paper for hard copy prescription drugs orders, and it no longer exists.