Answer: Per MN Statute Sect. 152.01 Subd. 11"opiate" means any dangerous substance having an addiction forming or addiction sustaining liability similar to morphine or being capable of conversion into a drug having such addiction forming or addiction sustaining liability.
Additionally, opiate means any natural or synthetic product that works in a manner similar to morphine.
All Schedules II-V opiate controlled substances are listed under section 152.02.
Answer: No, pharmacists are not included in the statutory requirement to review their patients’ history prior to dispensing opiates. However, pharmacists are encouraged to use the PMP in accordance with MN Statute Sect. 152.126 Subd. 6.
Response from the Board: There is language in MN Statute Sect. 152.126 that would seem to require veterinarians to check the PMP before issuing opiate prescriptions. However, other language excludes veterinarians from the requirement to register for a PMP account. Since the Legislature did not change the law to require veterinarians to have an account, it is reasonable to assume that the Legislature did not intend the requirement to check the PMP to apply to veterinarians.
Answer: The first instance in which you, as a prescriber assess a patient’s current condition and determine a controlled substance is to be prescribed under your authority.
Answer: This means that the provider has been treating the patient or has otherwise had responsibility for at least a portion of the patient’s care for at least the previous twelve months.
Answer: In permissible use situations, you are encouraged to access your patient’s prescription history data. However, we recommend you consult with your legal counsel to determine the appropriate course of action.
Answer: Though it is not required for prescribers caring for patients that are admitted to a hospital for inpatient care to review their patient’s PMP history prior to prescribing an opiate to be dispensed at or after discharge, the Board encourages all providers to utilize best clinical judgement and review the PMP history of their patients when prescribing opiates when access is permissible per MN Statutes Sect. 152.126 Subd. 6.
Answer: Yes. Your MN PMP account retains the last 120 days of requests performed by you or your delegates on your behalf. (Login to your account, select: Menu/ RxSearch/ Requests History.)
Answer: You may be subject to disciplinary action by your health licensing board.
Answer: You are not required to use the MN PMP system for your search. Minnesota Statute Sect 152.126 subd. 6(d) applies only to prescribers practicing within Minnesota. However, we do recommend you utilize the PMP in your practice state and include MN in your multi-state search criteria. Other states may have similar or additional requirements; searching with an out-of-state PMP may fail to meet qualifications of your state’s requirements.
Answer: If you are practicing in Minnesota, thus prescribing in Minnesota, you must follow the requirements in Minnesota Statute Sect 152.126 subd. 6(d). This includes accessing the MN PMP and searching for your patient’s controlled substance history. The MN PMP has established agreements with all four border states which allows your search to include prescriptions dispensed in those states.
Answer: Communicating system technical issues immediately will not always be possible. To ensure your compliance is documented, it is recommended to note the issue in your patient’s chart as soon as possible. Communicating the technical failure to the Board is expected within 7 calendar days.
Answer: Contact the Bamboo Assistance Team. You can report this by phone or by submitting a ticket online.
By phone at 1-844-966-4767; or,
Create a ticket for support: https://pmpaware.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/ If you haven't already, create an account with Bamboo Assistance, choose "I'm experiencing an error."
Additionally, it is not required but recommended to document inability to access PMP data within your patient’s chart.
Answer: Data submitted to the PMP comes directly from the dispenser of the prescription. If you did not prescribe the prescription in question, please contact the pharmacy listed within the report as the dispenser. The pharmacy is required to correct any reporting errors.
Answer: Within the FAQ for Controlled Substance Insight Alerts (CSIA) question numbers 7 and 8 discuss optional actions to take in response to viewing a patient history report that you feel displays high risk behavior. Additionally, on our website and within your AWARxE account, there is a link to the Fast-Tracker which serves as a search tool specifically for Minnesota substance use disorder resources. You may also discuss the report with your patient or contact other healthcare providers within the report in an effort to coordinate care.
Updated March 2022
MN Prescription Monitoring Program | 335 Randolph Avenue, Suite 230 | Saint Paul, Minnesota 55102 Voice: 651-201-2836 | Fax: 651-215-0948 | ![]() |