Notice of scheduling - butalbital-containing products

The Iowa Board of Pharmacy recently amended rule 657 IAC 10.40 to classify all butalbital containing products as schedule III controlled substances, effective June 26, 2019.

Currently, products that contain butalbital/aspirin/caffeine are classified as schedule III controlled substances; butalbital products listed on the DEA’s list of Exempted Prescription Products, including butalbital/acetaminophen/caffeine products, are unscheduled. This rule change eliminates the disparity of scheduling for butalbital-containing products and recognizes all products containing butalbital, including Fioricet, as schedule III controlled substances under the Iowa uniform Controlled Substances Act. 

As a reminder, all pharmacies must take an inventory of all stock on hand of previously unscheduled butalbital-containing products on June 26, 2019 (657 IAC 10.19(6)).

While not all-inclusive, the following points should be considered when dispensing butalbital prescriptions on or after June 26, 2019:

  • Dispensings must be reported to the PMP within one business day (657 IAC 37.12(2)).

  • Prescriptions issued on or before December 26, 2018 are no longer valid and must be reauthorized by the prescriber before being dispensed (657 IAC 10.24).

  • Prescriptions may be refilled up to five times within six months after the date on which the prescription was issued. Any prescriptions that have already been refilled five or more times are no longer valid and must be reauthorized by the prescriber before being dispensed (657 IAC 10.24).