Welcome to the website of the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation, an agency within the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. We appreciate your visit to our homepage, and we look forward to assisting you.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Staff of the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation is temporarily displaced while the building located at 76 Northern Avenue in Gardiner, Maine is closed for remediation work. During this temporary displacement, only limited staff will be located at 221 State Street in Augusta, Maine so the best way to contact us to resolve your issue, answer your questions, and continue to deliver high-quality services to consumers and our licensees is by email or by phone or through our other online services.
Thank you, and we look forward to hearing from you.
You may follow this link to the Secretary of State's office to view a list of board members. Members of the public should not contact board members with questions or comments. All questions, comments or any other board-related matters must be directed to the Board’s administrator. (Geraldine.L. Betts@maine.gov 207-624-8625)
Purpose
The Board of Pharmacy was established to protect the public through the regulation of pharmacies and pharmacists in Maine.
The primary responsibilities of the Board are to examine and license qualified applicants for licensure in the categories of Pharmacists or Pharmacists Assistants; to regulate and control the sale, character and standards of all drugs, poisons or medicines; to inspect during business hours all apothecaries, dispensaries, and locations where pharmaceuticals are manufactured, stored, distributed, compounded, dispersed or retailed; to secure samples of drugs and cause them to be analyzed and to keep a record of all persons examined and registered. The Board also investigates complaints against licensees and takes appropriate disciplinary action.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE ON SCANNERS FROM THE MAINE BOARD OF PHARMACY September 27, 2022
Dear Licensees: It has come to our attention recently that there is a scan being used to obtain personal information from licensees. Scammers are using a spoof phone number that looks like the Board of Pharmacy, Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR) or the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation (DPFR) These scammers are contacting licensees in an effort to get licensees to share personal information. The scams are likely to vary but they include telling the licensees that the licensing board or other regulator has opened an investigation and their license has been suspended or revoked. The scammer then asks the licensee to share or verify personal information over the phone. If you receive a suspicious call, you should not share any personal information over the phone or by email.
Licensees who think they may be a victim of a scam or attempted fraud should contact the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Attorney General toll-free at 800-436-2131 (TTY 711), or at 207-626-8849, or online at maine.gov/ag/consumer/complaints/
Licensees with questions about licensing matters can obtain information and assistance from the licensing board by contacting pharmacy.lic@maine.gov Dominic Cotone, Licensing Specialist II, at 207-624-8620.
Notice Regarding License Verification Requests (PDF)
Effective March 1, 2019, the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR) will no longer issue paper license verifications. License verifications are available, free of charge, on OPOR’s official database, https://www.pfr.maine.gov/ALMSOnline/ALMSQuery/Welcome.aspx?board=4380. This database is updated in real time as changes occur. The Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation considers this information to be a secure, primary source for license verification.
Are You a Mandated Reporter?
Maine law requires that medical, mental health and social services personnel immediately report or cause a report to be made to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) when the provider knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that an incapacitated or dependent adult has been or is likely to be abused or neglected or that a suspicious incapacitated or dependent adult death has occurred.
Future correspondence from the Board of Pharmacy will be sent to you by email, so please be sure to keep your contact information current. Follow this link to verify your contact information.
What's New
Board Statement
Practice Outreach Communication (PDF)
- Accessible Drug Labeling Best Practices For Visually Impaired, February 4, 2021
- Labels-See-to-My-Safety-Fact-Sheet
Policy on Veterans Preference
Laws/Statutory
Laws enacted by the 130th Legislature, First Regular Session
2021 Public Law Chapter 291, (L.D. 791 An Act Regarding Telehealth Regulations (PDF)
Laws enacted by the 130th Legislature, Second Regular Session
Signed into Law April 7, 2022, Public Law Chapter 566 (LD1776) An Act To Allow Pharmacists To Dispense an Emergency Supply of Chronic Maintenance Drugs, Effective date to be determined upon the Legislature's adjournment sine die.
Rulemaking
Notice of Agency Rulemaking Proposal
1. Chapter 4-A, Administration of Drugs and Vaccines (Amend)
2. Chapter 41, Sales of Nonprescription Drugs Through Vending Machine Outlets (New)
3. Chapter 42, Compounding Drugs for Veterinary Office Use (New)
Current Important Notices/Reminders
- Notice of Scam Targeting Licensees (PDF)
- Message from the Maine Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) on Fraudulent Prescriptions (PDF)
- FAQ's Regarding Manufacturers and Opioid Medication Fee Assessment and Product Registration (PDF)
- FAQ's Regarding Manufacturers and Insulin Product Registration Fee (PDF)
- Urgent and Important Message - Manufacturers of Opioid Medication and Opioid Product Registration (PDF)
- Training Announcement for Businesses, Schools, Religious Institutions, Government Agencies, and First Responders (PDF)
- Advisory Ruling - Time Limitations for Controlled Substance Prescriptions - 4-6-2017 (PDF)
- DHHS - PMP Update - Important message from Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (PDF)
- Bureau of Insurance, Bulletin 377 - Any Willing Pharmacy
- Message from Attorney General Janet T. Mills on heroin and opioid abuse in Maine (PDF)
- Policy statement regarding licensure of Retail Suppliers of Prescription Medical Devices (PDF)
Older Important Notices/Reminders
- ME Board of Pharmacy Statement of Concern on Personal Importation of Prescription Drugs from International Mail Order Prescription Pharmacies (PDF)
- Memorandum-Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Program (April 5, 2013) (PDF)
- Memorandum-Compounding for Office Use (April 5, 2013) (PDF)
- Notice to Maine licensed pharmacies on reporting prescription monitoring information from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHS). (PDF)
- Guidance Notice 4/10/2012 (PDF) - rule and law change affecting pharmacy interns.