Bona Fide Relationship Requirement Law. Public Act 247 of 2017, MCL § 333.7303a(2), requires that except as provided in exceptions detailed in administrative rules, a prescriber must be in a bona fide prescriber-patient relationship with a patient before prescribing a schedule 2-5 controlled substance ("CS"). The Michigan legislature delayed the effective date of the bona fide prescriber-patient relationship requirement to the earlier of (a) March 31, 2019, or (b) the date administrative rules describing the exceptions to the requirement are promulgated. Public Act 247 also requires the prescriber to provider certain follow-up care to the patient to monitor the efficacy of the CS in treating the patient's medical condition. Failure to comply with the bona fide relationship requirement is considered professional misconduct and may subject the prescriber to professional discipline.

Effective Date. The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs ("LARA") has now published a rule, effective January 4, 2019, describing exceptions to the bona fide prescriber-patient relationship requirement. Promulgation of this rule means that the bona fide prescriber-patient relationship requirement of MCL § 333.7303a is in effect as of January 4, 2019, for all practitioners who prescribe schedule 2-5 CS.
Link: LARA Updates: Bona Fide Prescriber-Patient Relationship

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