The Formula for Prescription Legitimacy

Prescriptions for controlled substances require a DEA number associated with the prescriber. For the PTCB’s PTCE, you need to know how to check a DEA number for legitimacy. In your actual workplace, you will most likely just be able to type in the number into the computer system to find out to whom a DEA number belongs.

Let’s say that Roger Rabbit decides to become a healthcare practitioner who can prescribe medications. His DEA number would consist of two alphabet letters and seven numbers like this:

• The first letter will be one of these letters: A, B, F, or M (this signifies the registrant type.)
• The second letter will be the first letter of the prescriber’s last name. In this case, that would be R.
• Add the first, third, and fifth digits together. 3+2+3= 8
• Add the second, fourth, and sixth digits together, then multiply by two. 2+1+7= 9 x 2= 18
• Add the previous two calculations together. 8+18= 26
• The second digit in this added calculation should match the seventh digit in the DEA number. 6=6 so it looks like Roger Rabbit is legitimate!