A Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, or PDMP, is a state-operated electronic database that collects records of controlled substance prescriptions dispensed within that state. Pharmacies report dispensing data into the system, and authorized users — including pharmacists, prescribers, and regulators — can query it to see a patient’s recent controlled substance history across different prescribers and pharmacies.
Each state operates its own PDMP, and while many states participate in data-sharing arrangements that let authorized users see information from neighboring states, PDMPs are not a single national system. States differ in which pharmacists must register to use the database, when a query is required before dispensing, how quickly dispensing data must be reported, and what recordkeeping applies to PDMP use itself.
Why it matters
PDMP registration and query obligations are a recurring compliance point for pharmacists, particularly those dispensing controlled substances regularly. Because requirements are state-specific — mandatory registration timelines, query triggers, reporting frequency — a pharmacist licensed or practicing in multiple states may face different PDMP obligations in each one, and missing a registration or reporting deadline can carry its own compliance consequences separate from any individual dispensing decision.
This entry describes PDMPs generally and does not address any specific query obligation or dispensing scenario. RxByState tracks PDMP registration and query requirements by state — see https://app.rxbystate.com/signup.