Islets of Hope    state laws for insulin & syringe prescriptions

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Information for this article was compiled and edited by Lahle A. Wolfe, Islets of Hope.

Important Disclaimer

This information for general information purposes only.  This information is not intended to serve as any form of medical or legal advice.

Do I need a prescription for glucagon?  

Glucagon requires a prescription in all fifty (50) states.

Do I need a prescription for insulin pump supplies?

Insulin pump supplies marked "by prescription only" require a prescription in all fifty (50) states.  Some pump supplies may be purchased without a prescription but most cannot so be sure to check with your doctor before assuming you can get supplies without an Rx simply because you have an insulin pump.

Diabetes Laws

State Laws - Do I need a prescription for Syringes and insulin?

Hock's offers 30-50% discounted prices on diabetes supplies.  We cannot specifically recommend or endorse any company but we have been listing Hock's in our resource directory for over a year as one of the two cheapest online companies to purchase from.  We recently affiliated with Hock's because our own experience with them has been so positive.  If you do place an order through our site, they will contribute financially towards our cause and you will get reasonable prices for diabetes supplies.

Do I need a prescription to get insulin or syringes?

In all states new, insulin analogs DO require a prescription.  These include Humalog, Novolog, or Apidra, as well as Lantus.  

Note 1 for chart below:  Older insulins such as regular (R) do not need a prescription except in Alaska.  The chart below only specifies if older insulins require a prescription.

States that require a prescription for insulin and/or syringes

State

Insulin
See Note #1

Syringes

Notes
Alabama No No  
Alaska Yes Yes Some pharmacies may sell either without an RX
Arizona No No Even though permitted, some pharmacies require an RX for both.
Arkansas No No  
California No No Even though permitted, some pharmacies require an RX for both.
Colorado No No Even though permitted, some pharmacies require an RX for both.
Connecticut No Yes Residents mat get a 10-day supply of syringes without an RX.
Delaware No Yes  
District of Columbia No No No for syringes if you have a diabetes mellitus ID if syringes are purchased with insulin.
Florida No Yes/No Some counties may require an RX for syringes; most do not.
Georgia No No  
Hawaii No Unknown  
Idaho No No Photo identification may be required for syringes.
Illinois No No You do need a prescription to purchase more than 20 syringes at one time.
Indiana No No You must sign a register for the purchase of syringes.
Iowa No No  
Kansas No Yes/No Most pharmacies will sell syringes if they are being purchased with insulin.
Kentucky No No  
Louisiana No No  
Maine No Yes  
Maryland No No You must sign a register for the purchase of syringes.
Massachusetts No Yes  
Michigan No No  
Minnesota No No Some pharmacies may require a prescription for insulin that has unlimited refills (life time Rx).
Mississippi No No  
Missouri No No  
Montana No No  
Nebraska No No  
Nevada No No  
New Hampshire No No  
New Jersey No Yes The requirement for an Rx for syringes may be waived with photo identification.
New Mexico No No  
New York No No Pharmacies can dispense up to 10 syringes at their discretion without a prescription but you must be 18 years or older.
North Carolina No No  
North Dakota No No  
Ohio No No  
Oklahoma No No/Yes Some local areas may require an Rx for syringes.
Oregon No No  
Pennsylvania No Yes  
Rhode Island No No  
South Carolina No No  
South Dakota No No  
Tennessee No No  
Texas No No/Yes Some regions may require an Rx for syringes.
Utah No No/Yes Some pharmacies will require an Rx for syringes and some pharmacies may refuse to sell syringes after 10 p.m. even if you have a prescription on file.
Vermont No No  
Virginia No/Yes No  
Washington (state) No No  
West Virginia No No  
Wisconsin No No  
Wyoming No No  

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Page Updated  09/25/2007