Who is authorized to write a prescription for a controlled substance?

• A. The pharmacist
• B. The patient
• C. The prescribing practitioner
• D. The DEA administrator

Answer: (C)

Prescriptions for controlled substances must come from someone who is authorized to diagnose and treat patients and to prescribe these drugs under both state and federal law. That person is the prescribing practitioner, such as a physician, dentist, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant who is licensed and has the required DEA registration. Pharmacists don’t create new prescriptions; they dispense medications based on a valid prescription written by an authorized prescriber. A patient cannot issue a prescription themselves, and the DEA administrator regulates and enforces the system rather than prescribing. So the prescribing practitioner is the one who can legally write a prescription for a controlled substance.