Definition of emergency situation.
21 C.F.R. § 290.10
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01For the purposes of authorizing an oral prescription of a controlled substance listed in schedule II of the Federal Controlled Substances Act, the term emergency situation means those situations in which the prescribing practitioner determines:
(a) That immediate administration of the controlled substance is necessary, for proper treatment of the intended ultimate user; and
(b) That no appropriate alternative treatment is available, including administration of a drug which is not a controlled substance under schedule II of the Act, and
(c) That it is not reasonably possible for the prescribing practitioner to provide a written prescription to be presented to the person dispensing the substance, prior to the dispensing.
Source: eCFRURL: https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2024-07-01/title-21.xmlFetched: 7/26/2026
