Skip to main content

New York will soon require all drug prescriptions to be issued electronically

new york doctors digital prescriptions doctordigital
NEC Corporation of America / Flickr (Creative Commons)
In the very near future, patients around New York will soon become unencumbered from the indecipherable handwriting of doctors. On March 27, New York will become the first state to mandate all prescriptions are made electronically and sent to straight to pharmacies, according to the New York Times.

The move to electronic prescriptions was meant to be implemented last year, but the date was pushed back when state lawmakers voiced concerns over the software’s security and lack of approval from the Federal Drug Administration. While the requirement does not go into effect until March 27, Lenox Hill Hospital in the Upper East area of New York City began following the mandate on March 1.

prescription pills
Image used with permission by copyright holder

“Paper prescriptions had become a form of criminal currency that could be traded even more easily than the drugs themselves,” said New York state attorney general Eric T. Schneiderman, who assisted in writing the legislation for electronic prescriptions, speaking with the New York Times. Schneiderman believes making the switch to electronic prescriptions will help “curb the incidence of these criminal acts and also reduce errors resulting from misinterpretation of handwriting on good-faith prescriptions.”

Recommended Videos

Between 2013 and 2014, 27 million controlled substance prescriptions were written in New York State when the population was just 20 million, according to the State Health Department. The electronic prescription mandate is the second part of I-Stop, a 2012 state bill meant to curb the growing epidemic of falsified prescriptions. In August 2013, a central database known as the Prescription Monitoring Program Registry was set up as part of the I-Stop legislation to collect, monitor, and report all data regarding prescribing and dispensing controlled substances.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

This new law may reduce opioid-related deaths (which hit a total of 1,227 in 2013), but it will not completely rid you of your doctor’s horrible handwriting. Handwritten prescriptions are still acceptable under certain circumstances — such as technical problems, when the medication will be filled outside of New York State, and in the case of non-medicinal prescriptions for things like crutches.

Keith Nelson Jr.
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Keith Nelson Jr is a music/tech journalist making big pictures by connecting dots. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY he…
The best health and fitness apps for iPhone in 2025: 15 best ones
Apple's Fitness app on the iPhone 14 Pro.

"Fitness" can mean a lot of things. For some people, it's being able to run far or fast. For others, it's being able to lift heavy things and lower them back down again. Others may simply want to keep trim or eat healthily. It may even mean getting a great night's sleep, or making sure your mental wellness is at its best. Whatever fitness means for you, we have a list of apps that cover all the possible bases. These apps excel in a number of different areas, but what they all generally have in common is that they use iOS' powerful tech to monitor and analyze your performance. As a result, they can help you progress along your fitness journey.

With 2025 now upon us, getting in shape -- and staying in shape -- is at the top of your list of New Year's resolutions. These apps will help you kick the new year off on a good foot and maintain your physical fitness for the rest of the year and every year after. You can pair the apps with other tech for best results, so make sure to check out our lists of the best fitness trackers and the best running headphones. Here are the best fitness apps for the iPhone in 2025.
Apple Fitness

Read more
GlassesUSA Black Friday Sale: Get 30% off prescription glasses
GlassesUSA frames close up with multiple styles.

Need a new pair of glasses? Want to stock up for your holiday trips before you head to meet up with your relatives? Typically, you'd have to wait until the official Black Friday event, the day after Thanksgiving, or maybe even Cyber Monday, but that's not the case this year. Alongside a variety of the best online glasses deals, GlassesUSA is hosting a huge Black Friday sale early, allowing you to save big on prescription glasses and frames with no waiting necessary. Of course, we always recommend browsing the sale of your own accord to see what's discounted because we couldn't possibly cover everything, nor could we know precisely what you're looking for. That said, we've called out quite a few of the best deals below.

What to shop in the early GlassesUSA Black Friday sale
Rightfully dubbed the Black Friday Early Bird sale, now's an excellent time to save up to 30% on prescription glasses. Moreover, GlassesUSA is truly dedicated to helping you find the perfect pair. Not only are there a ton of brands and styles to choose from, but you'll benefit from free shipping and returns and a money-back guarantee if you're not satisfied. You can even take to find the correct pair for your face. Ray-Ban, Oakley, DKNY, Prada, Ottoto, Muse, they are all here and available to shop, most discounted even. Men's and Women's eyewear are on sale, too, so there's something for everyone.

Read more
The best DNA testing kit Black Friday deals you can shop now
Daughter gifting Ancestry Gift Membership to family

DNA tests are awesome holiday gifts for your family. Together you can all build your family tree and discover your genetic makeup. Unfortunately the tests are pretty expensive, but at least you only need to test once. There are some nice Black Friday deals going on today that will save you a significant amount of money on single tests or bundles. Check out our favorite below, then more more deals worth checking out under that.
The best DNA testing kit Black Friday deal
AncestryDNA Genetic Test Kit -- $59, was $99

The single person AncestryDNA Genetic Test Kit is our pick for the best Black Friday deal already available. The kit normally costs $99, but right now it's down to just $59. That's a nice discount of $30 on one of the best DNA tests available. We're not sure how long this deal will last, so you should grab it soon.

Read more