What is required if a pharmacy changes its designated Controlled Substance (CS) inventory?

When a pharmacy changes its designated controlled substance inventory, taking a new inventory is essential to ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. The Controlled Substances Act mandates that registrants must conduct an inventory of all controlled substances on hand whenever there is a change affecting their CS inventory, which can include adding or removing drugs or altering storage conditions.

This inventory serves multiple purposes: it helps in accurately accounting for all controlled substances to prevent misuse or discrepancies, supports drug diversion prevention efforts, and aids in maintaining accurate records required by both federal and state laws. Conducting a new inventory ensures that the pharmacy can verify that the quantities of controlled substances on hand match the records, thus maintaining the integrity of the pharmacy's inventory management system.

While notifying the DEA, re-registering with the state, or performing an audit may be relevant processes in certain circumstances regarding controlled substances, the direct requirement following a change in the designated CS inventory is to take a new inventory, making it the most appropriate response in this context.