Maryland Department of Health Implements Controlled Dangerous Substances Online Application System
The Office of Controlled Substances Administration Accepting CDS Renewal Applications in Real Time
Baltimore, MD (February 20, 2018) – The Maryland Department of Health’s Office of Controlled Substances Administration (OCSA) has launched a web-based system for applicants to renew their Controlled Dangerous Substances (CDS) Registration online.
OCSA enforces the CDS Act and ensures the availability of drugs for legitimate medical and scientific purposes while working to prevent drug abuse and misuse. More than 43,000 registrants in 29 practitioner and establishment classifications are required to renew CDS Registrations on a two or three-year cycle. Effective Thursday, March 1, 2018, CDS Registration renewals will all be issued on a three-year cycle only.
The CDS Registration Renewal System is designed to provide excellent customer service in issuing CDS Registrations. “The Department is always looking for new and innovative ways to make things easier for our constituents. This new registration system couples one of the core components of the State’s plan to address the opioid issue with our continued commitment to customer service,” said Health Secretary Robert R. Neall.
According to Maryland House Bill 437 (2016), practitioners authorized to prescribe CDS in Maryland must be registered with the Department’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) prior to obtaining a new or renewal Maryland State CDS Registration. The PDMP was created to support providers and their patients in the safe and effective use of prescription drugs and is part of Maryland’s response to the opioid epidemic. The CDS Registration Renewal System also verifies that the applicant is registered with the PDMP during the CDS renewal process.
“The Department makes every effort to assure that we are providing excellent customer service while continuing to protect the public,” said Dr. Howard Haft, Deputy Secretary, Public Health Services. “The Registration Renewal System is a great example of this commitment.”
The convenience of making renewal payments with a major credit or debit card (VISA, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express), 24 hours per day, 7 days per week is one of the main customer service components of the new online CDS Registration Renewal System.
###
