As a leader of approximately 1600 advanced practice providers across northern Virginia I have seen first-hand how the current language requiring a physician's name to be present on a controlled substance prescription by a PA has caused significant delay in care for patients, significant burden on physicians and PAs delivering care, and broad confusion among pharmacies, leading to their own interpretation of this language, further complicating patients filling prescriptions for needed medications.  I have countless examples of how this language has delayed or prevented patients from receiving medications.  Imagine a patient being discharged from the hospital after major surgery and being unable to pick up pain medications for a full day.  Imagine a patient receiving cancer treatment being delayed in picking up much needed medications.  These are 2 quick examples of real-world scenarios happening regularly across the commonwealth.  This language needs to be removed right away and align our prescriptive requirements with our NP colleagues.  This language has no benefit to patient care at all.