Can you fill a Schedule II prescription from an out-of-state prescriber?

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Schedule II drugs are tightly controlled at the state level, and California requires that a Schedule II prescription come from a practitioner licensed to prescribe in California. An out-of-state prescriber cannot issue a valid Schedule II prescription for California pharmacies, so the prescription cannot be filled here. The legitimacy of the medical purpose or the prescriber’s licensure in another state does not override California’s requirement that the prescriber be authorized to prescribe within this state. Even if a different state permits filling such prescriptions, California law governs what a California pharmacist may fill, and it does not allow this scenario. If a patient presents an out-of-state Schedule II prescription, the appropriate course is to obtain an in-state prescription from a California-licensed prescriber or have the out-of-state prescriber redirect to a California-licensed prescriber.