Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 420b - Dependency-Producing Drugs
Section 21a-262. (Formerly Sec. 19-469). - Commissioner's authority and duties re controlled substances. When seizing authority may destroy. Disposal by long-term care facilities, outpatient surgical facilities and home health care agencies.

(a) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection may receive, take into custody or destroy excess or undesired controlled substances and may in his or her discretion deliver, upon application, to any hospital, laboratory, incorporated college, scientific institution or any state or municipal agency or institution not operated for private gain, any controlled substances that have come into his or her custody by authority of this section. In the case of a care-giving or correctional or juvenile training institution having an institutional pharmacy, the Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall deliver such controlled substances only to the licensed pharmacist in charge of such pharmacy. The Commissioner of Consumer Protection may receive and take into custody excess or undesired controlled substances from pharmacists, manufacturers and wholesalers or any other registrant. Said commissioner shall keep a full and complete record of all substances received and of all substances disposed of, showing the exact kinds, quantities and forms of such substances, the persons from whom received and to whom delivered, by whose authority received, delivered and destroyed, and the dates of the receipt, disposal or destruction. Controlled substances and preparations shall at all times be properly safeguarded and securely kept. Minimum security and safeguard standards for the storage, manufacture, sale or distribution of all controlled substances shall be established by regulations adopted hereunder. Controlled substances seized or held as contraband or controlled substances, the title to which cannot be resolved, which controlled substances are not held by law enforcement agencies or court officials as evidence in criminal proceedings, shall be, upon the order of the court, destroyed by the seizing authority or delivered to the Commissioner of Consumer Protection as soon as possible upon resolution of the case or upon ascertaining the status of the unclaimed substance. The agent of the Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall issue a receipt for all such substance obtained. Any loss, destruction or theft of controlled substances shall be reported by a registrant within seventy-two hours to the Commissioner of Consumer Protection as follows: (1) Where, through breakage of the container or other accident, otherwise than in transit, controlled substances are lost or destroyed, the person having title thereto shall make a signed statement as to the kinds and quantities of controlled substances lost or destroyed and the circumstances involved, and immediately forward the statement to the Commissioner of Consumer Protection. A copy of such statement shall be retained by the registrant; (2) where controlled substances are lost by theft, or otherwise lost or destroyed in transit, the consignee shall, immediately upon ascertainment of the occurrence, file with the Commissioner of Consumer Protection a signed statement of the facts, including a list of the controlled substances stolen, lost or destroyed and documentary evidence that the local authorities were notified. A copy of the statement shall be retained by the registrant. As used in this section, “care-giving institution”, “correctional or juvenile training institution”, “institutional pharmacy” and “pharmacist” have the same meanings as provided in section 20-571.

(b) For each long-term care facility, two or more of the following persons may jointly dispose of excess stock of controlled substances: A nursing home administrator, a pharmacist consultant, a director of nursing services or an assistant director of nursing services. Such facility shall maintain documentation of any such destruction and disposal for a period of three years and such documentation shall be maintained in a separate log and on a form prescribed by the department.
(c) For each outpatient surgical facility, as defined in section 19a-493b, two or more of the following persons may jointly dispose of excess stock of controlled substances: An administrator, a clinical director or chief of staff, or a nursing supervisor. Such facility shall maintain documentation of any such destruction and disposal for a period of three years and such documentation shall be maintained in a separate log and on a form prescribed by the department.
(d) A registered nurse licensed by the Department of Public Health and employed by a home health care agency, as defined in section 19a-490, may, with the permission of a designated representative of the patient, oversee the destruction and disposal of the patient's controlled substances, using the recommendations for the proper disposal of prescription drugs on the Internet web site of the Department of Consumer Protection. Such registered nurse shall maintain written or electronic documentation for a period of three years of any such destruction and disposal on a form prescribed by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection. Such written or electronic documentation shall be maintained with the patient's medical record. Nothing in this subsection shall prevent the registered nurse and patient's designated representative from depositing the patient's controlled substances in a statutorily authorized prescription drug drop box.
(1967, P.A. 555, S. 25; 1969, P.A. 593, S. 13; 1972, P.A. 278, S. 16; P.A. 73-681, S. 12, 29; P.A. 76-77, S. 6; P.A. 84-44, S. 2; P.A. 92-181, S. 1, 3; P.A. 95-264, S. 59; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(c); P.A. 04-189, S. 1; P.A. 05-212, S. 4; P.A. 14-122, S. 126; P.A. 17-131, S. 2.)
History: 1969 act required that controlled drugs be delivered only to licensed pharmacist where pharmacy is in care-giving, correctional or juvenile training institution; 1972 act substituted “substances” for “drugs”; P.A. 73-681 transferred powers of health commissioner to commissioner of consumer protection and added provisions re delivery of controlled substances held by law enforcement or court officials, etc. and re reports of loss, destruction or theft of controlled substances; P.A. 76-77 allowed destruction of controlled substances upon court order as alternative to delivery to commissioner of consumer protection; Sec. 19-469 transferred to Sec. 21a-262 in 1983; P.A. 84-44 deleted reference to controlled substances held by law enforcement agencies or court officials as evidence in criminal proceedings and added provision re controlled substances which are not held by law enforcement agencies or court officials as evidence in court proceedings; P.A. 92-181 provided that the commissioner could deliver controlled substances to any state or municipal agency not operated for private gain; P.A. 95-264 added definition of care-giving, correctional and juvenile training institutions, institutional pharmacy and pharmacist; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Commissioner of Consumer Protection with Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 05-212 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and added Subsecs. (b) and (c) re disposal by long-term care facilities and by outpatient surgical facilities, respectively, effective July 6, 2005; P.A. 14-122 made a technical change in Subsec. (a); P.A. 17-131 amended Subsec. (a) to make technical changes and added Subsec. (d) re registered nurse employed by home health care agency overseeing destruction and disposal of patient's controlled substances, effective June 30, 2017.