What must a prescriber do before writing a replacement prescription for buprenorphine?

Before writing a replacement prescription for buprenorphine, a prescriber must query the Vermont Prescription Monitoring System (VPMS). This step is essential as it allows the prescriber to review the patient's medication history, ensuring that they are making informed decisions about the patient's treatment plan. By checking the VPMS, the prescriber can verify if the patient has received buprenorphine previously, assess patterns of use, and identify any potential misuse or diversion concerns. It's a critical measure to enhance the safety and effectiveness of opioid therapy, especially in managing substance use disorders.

Other options do not address the regulatory requirements or best practices for prescribing buprenorphine. For example, ensuring the patient is new does not necessarily relate to the management of existing prescriptions, while having a patient-specific prescription is a given in any prescription scenario and does not specifically pertain to the replacement situation. Announcing the replacement publicly is inappropriate and does not align with patient privacy requirements and medical confidentiality.