Do pharmacies selling drugs to physicians or other pharmacies for patient-specific needs need to provide track and trace information?

• A. No, track and trace information is not required when selling to physicians or other pharmacies for patient-specific needs
• B. Yes, track and trace is always required
• C. Only for controlled substances
• D. Only if the patient is international

Answer: (A)

Track-and-trace rules are meant to trace prescription drugs as they move through the supply chain in wholesale distributions. When a pharmacy sells to a physician or another pharmacy for patient-specific needs, that sale is for direct patient care rather than a wholesale transfer. In this situation, the transaction is exempt from the wholesale-distribution tracking requirements, so track and trace information isn’t required. This facilitates timely access to medications used for individual patients. It isn’t about whether the drug is controlled or not, and it isn’t about international patients—the exemption applies to the patient-specific care context in the regular supply chain.