New York State Now Requires Electronic Prescriptions, Bans Paper Pads

Say goodbye to handwritten prescriptions, at least in New York State.

Starting Sunday, doctors are now required to send prescriptions to pharmacies electronically, rather than writing them out. This stems from Governor Andrew Cuomo's "I-STOP" initiative, that focuses on helping curb the abuse of prescription medication in the state.

This makes New York the first state to require e-prescriptions to be sent through a secure system. Doctors who do not comply with this will be penalized. Hand-written prescriptions will still be allowed in certain situations. For example, if a prescription needs to be filled out of state, or if there is some sort of technical problem.

The legislations was signed by Gov. Cuomo in 2015, with a one-year extension given for prescribers time to comply, as reported by CBS 6.