NRS639.1373. Physician assistant: Authority regarding possession, administration, prescription and dispensing of controlled substances, poisons, dangerous drugs and devices; registration; regulations.

      1.  A physician assistant licensed pursuant to chapter 630 or 633 of NRS may, if authorized by the Board, possess, administer, prescribe or dispense controlled substances, or possess, administer, prescribe or dispense poisons, dangerous drugs or devices in or out of the presence of his or her supervising physician only to the extent and subject to the limitations specified in the registration certificate issued to the physician assistant by the Board pursuant to this section.

      2.  Each physician assistant licensed pursuant to chapter 630 or 633 of NRS who is authorized by his or her physician assistant’s license issued by the Board of Medical Examiners or by the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine, respectively, to possess, administer, prescribe or dispense controlled substances, or to possess, administer, prescribe or dispense poisons, dangerous drugs or devices must apply for and obtain a registration certificate from the Board, pay a fee to be set by regulations adopted by the Board and pass an examination administered by the Board on the law relating to pharmacy before the physician assistant can possess, administer, prescribe or dispense controlled substances, or possess, administer, prescribe or dispense poisons, dangerous drugs or devices.

      3.  The Board shall consider each application separately and may, even though the physician assistant’s license issued by the Board of Medical Examiners or by the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine authorizes the physician assistant to possess, administer, prescribe or dispense controlled substances, or to possess, administer, prescribe or dispense poisons, dangerous drugs and devices:

      (a) Refuse to issue a registration certificate;

      (b) Issue a registration certificate limiting the authority of the physician assistant to possess, administer, prescribe or dispense controlled substances, or to possess, administer, prescribe or dispense poisons, dangerous drugs or devices, the area in which the physician assistant may possess controlled substances, poisons, dangerous drugs and devices, or the kind and amount of controlled substances, poisons, dangerous drugs and devices; or

      (c) Issue a registration certificate imposing other limitations or restrictions which the Board feels are necessary and required to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public.

      4.  If the registration of the physician assistant licensed pursuant to chapter 630 or 633 of NRS is suspended or revoked, the physician’s controlled substance registration may also be suspended or revoked.

      5.  The Board shall adopt regulations controlling the maximum amount to be administered, possessed and dispensed, and the storage, security, recordkeeping and transportation of controlled substances and the maximum amount to be administered, possessed, prescribed and dispensed and the storage, security, recordkeeping and transportation of poisons, dangerous drugs and devices by physician assistants licensed pursuant to chapter 630 or 633 of NRS. In the adoption of those regulations, the Board shall consider, but is not limited to, the following:

      (a) The area in which the physician assistant is to operate;

      (b) The population of that area;

      (c) The experience and training of the physician assistant;

      (d) The distance to the nearest hospital and physician; and

      (e) The effect on the health, safety and welfare of the public.

      6.  For the purposes of this section, the term “supervising physician” includes a supervising osteopathic physician as defined in chapter 633 of NRS.

      (Added to NRS by 1977, 671; A 1979, 1686; 1981, 574; 1987, 729; 1989, 1995; 1991, 2016; 1995, 1712; 1997, 687; 2001, 775; 2007, 1845)