As a practicing PA and a PA Medicine program director, I strongly support the petition to remove the requirement that a patient care team physician’s name be included on prescriptions for Schedule II-V medications in Virginia.

This outdated requirement places an unnecessary administrative burden on PAs and their collaborating physicians without providing any added benefit to patient safety or care quality. PAs are highly trained, licensed medical professionals who prescribe these medications within their scope of practice and in accordance with state and federal regulations. The current rule creates inefficiencies that can delay patient access to necessary medications and adds redundant documentation requirements that do not enhance oversight or accountability.

Furthermore, this requirement does not align with the prescribing practices in many other states where PAs can prescribe independently within the bounds of their scope of practice. Removing this requirement would modernize Virginia’s approach, reducing administrative barriers and improving workflow efficiency while maintaining high standards of patient care.

I urge the regulatory board to support this petition and remove this requirement, ensuring that PAs can continue to provide timely, effective, and patient-centered care without unnecessary administrative constraints.