Texas Pharmacy and Medical Boards Joint Statement on Communication

TX Board of Pharmacy News

Published December 19th, 2025

Detected March 12th, 2026

Summary

The Texas Medical Board and Texas State Board of Pharmacy issued a joint statement reminding physicians and pharmacists of the importance of clear communication and collaboration in patient care. The statement emphasizes professional judgment and shared responsibility in ensuring safe and legitimate prescription practices.

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What changed

The Texas Medical Board and the Texas State Board of Pharmacy have issued a joint statement to physicians and pharmacists in Texas. The statement serves as a reminder of the critical importance of open communication and collaboration between these healthcare professionals. It reiterates the independent authority of physicians to diagnose and treat, and pharmacists to dispense or not dispense prescriptions, emphasizing the corresponding responsibility to ensure prescriptions are safe, valid, and for legitimate medical purposes.

This guidance encourages professionals to use independent clinical judgment and communicate when concerns arise, highlighting that patient safety depends on this shared responsibility and collaboration. While non-binding, it underscores the expectation of teamwork in patient care within Texas. No specific deadlines or penalties are mentioned, but adherence to these principles is expected for maintaining professional standards and patient well-being.

What to do next

Review joint statement on physician-pharmacist communication
Reinforce internal protocols for prescription verification and communication with prescribers

Source document (simplified)

TEXAS STATE BOARD OF PHARMACY Joint Statement from Texas Medical Board and Texas State Board of Pharmacy ISSUED: December 19, 2025 Greetings pharmacy and medical professionals. Thank you for being critically important members of the multiprofessional healthcare teams caring for our fellow Texans. With the ever-changing landscape of healthcare practices and models, it is important to remind ourselves of the importance of clear and open communication between pharmacists and physicians. Each fully licensed physician possesses the authority to diagnosis and treat patients across all medical specialties, not just in the specialty they normally practice. Each pharmacist has the authority to dispense or not dispense prescriptions depending on the validity of the prescription and patient safety. That corresponding responsibility requires both parties to ensure prescriptions are issued and dispensed safely and for legitimate medical purposes. Each professional must use independent clinical and professional judgment and should communicate with each other when concerns arise. Protecting patients depends on shared responsibility and collaboration. We thank you again for working together to care for patients in Texas.