Book excerpt: Your primary source for information on the legal issues of pharmaceutical practice, care, and activity Today’s pharmacist is faced with legal, ethical, and moral concerns in making the transition from traditional pharmacy practice to an expanded role in clinical pharmacy and patient drug management services. Pharmacy Law Desk Reference is a primer on the legal aspects of pharmaceutical practice, providing background on foundational legal concepts, and guidance on the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), and the Federal Trade Commission. This unique book examines the major topics that impact pharmaceutical care, including professional liability insurance; the need for supportive personnel in pharmacy practice; patent law, trademarks, and copyrights; law and ethics; business law; HIPAA privacy in the pharmacy; electronic prescribing; and medication error reporting. Handy tables, figures, and exhibits make complex information easy to access and understand. The better pharmacists understand the regulatory and legislative framework that shapes their practice, the better they will be able to carry out their responsibilities to patients. Pharmacy Law Desk Reference offers a broad scope on established legal subjects, the current direction of the profession, and important contemporary topics that affect the clinical role of the practicing pharmacist. Each chapter is authored by a nationally recognized authority on one or more aspect of pharmacy law and many of the contributors are active in the American Society of Pharmacy Law. Topics addressed in Pharmacy Law Desk Reference include: telepharmacy collaborative drug therapy management trade secrets and trade secret protection anti-competitive practices the threat of civil and criminal liability the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) FDA inspections consumer protection laws credentialing pharmacy compounding accreditation employment contracts Medicaid and Medicare controlled substance registration and prescription orders forged prescription orders and many more Pharmacy Law Desk Reference is a comprehensive resource on the professional, legal, and contemporary issues in pharmacy practice. It is a primary reference guidebook for pharmacy practitioners, leaders of state and national pharmacists associations, members of state boards of pharmacy, educators and students, and an essential addition to all pharmacy libraries.