Allowed
Note: PharmaLink has compiled the information below for reference only. State dispensing regulations change frequently and we recommend consulting an attorney or your state medical or pharmacy board with specific questions or to verify your eligibility to dispense.
Georgia is one of the lower-friction states for starting an in-office dispensary. No permit or dispensing license is issued and no fee is charged. You must, however, submit notice of intent to dispense to the Georgia Composite Medical Board, which is the part practices often miss.
Notifying the Board
Physicians may dispense pharmaceuticals from their office, beyond manufacturer samples, only after notifying the Georgia Composite Medical Board in writing of their intent to act as a dispensing physician. The notice may be sent as a letter to the Board, or noted on the license renewal form.
Once the Board receives the notice it keeps a copy on file and forwards one to the Georgia Board of Pharmacy, which in turn notifies the Georgia Drugs and Narcotics Agency (GDNA), which is the agency that enforces pharmacy law and inspects dispensing practices. GDNA then informs its agent for your territory that you hold dispensing authority.
No agency sends a confirmation letter back to the physician. The Board’s own guidance is therefore to send the notice by certified mail with return receipt requested, and to retain the proof of delivery in your business records. It is the only evidence you will have that the notification was made.
What to expect from GDNA
Because enforcement sits with GDNA rather than the medical board, a dispensing practice in Georgia should expect its dispensing area, drug storage, records, and labeling to be reviewed on the same terms as other regulated drug outlets in the state. The notice is the beginning of the process, not the end, so we strongly advise that you always remain prepared for an inspection. PharmaLink’s software keeps the records and logs an inspector asks for in one place, so an unannounced GDNA visit is a matter of pulling a report rather than reconstructing a paper trail.
PDMP reporting
Dispensers must transmit information for Schedule II through V controlled substances to the Georgia PDMP no more than 24 hours after the prescription is dispensed. If no monitored drug is dispensed during a 24-hour period, a zero report must be submitted for that period. Daily reporting has been the standard since House Bill 249 took effect on July 1, 2017. PharmaLink’s software is also designed to handle this process for you, as long as you are vigilant in entering all dispenses.
Dispensing in Georgia with PharmaLink
Dispensing medications to your patients offers meaningful benefits: additional practice revenue, better medication adherence, greater convenience for patients, and fewer pharmacy callbacks for your staff. PharmaLink provides the dispensing software, equipment, and support — so most practices can start dispensing within days of completing their application. PharmaLink does not sell, source, or ship medications; your practice purchases those directly from suppliers you select, under your own licenses.
- Cash & carry dispensing — patients pay at the point of care with transparent pricing.
- Workers' comp dispensing — treat injured workers, with claim data captured for your billing partner.
- Private insurance dispensing — adjudicate claims to your patients' insurance plans.
- Mail order & home delivery — send prescriptions to a fulfillment pharmacy that ships directly to your patients.
If you plan to dispense controlled substances, PharmaLink's software automatically reports to state PDMPs in all states where we operate.