Which option reflects a permissible designation when issuing controlled-substance prescriptions on behalf of a physician?

• A. Agent of MD
• B. Pharmacist
• C. Nurse
• D. Clerk

Answer: (A)

When a physician delegates the act of prescribing controlled substances, the person authorized to issue the prescription on the physician’s behalf is described as an agent of the MD. This designation reflects that the prescriber remains the doctor, but another qualified individual acts under their authority to prepare and transmit the prescription to the pharmacy, within the bounds of legal and regulatory safeguards. A pharmacist is the recipient who dispenses the medication, not the prescriber acting for the physician. A nurse would only have prescriptive authority if they are a licensed prescriber in a specific role (like an NP or PA), which is more than a general “nurse” designation. A clerk has no prescriptive authority. Therefore, labeling someone as an agent of the MD is the permissible designation for issuing controlled-substance prescriptions on behalf of a physician.