How To Verify A DEA Number On A Prescription.

This article is will discuss how to perform some simple calculations to verify a DEA number on a prescription order for validity. 

At present, top level prescriber (e.g., MD, DO, DDS, and OD) are assigned either a capital letter "A" or "B" as the first letter of the DEA number. No particular significance is attached to the letter. Letters are simply assigned according to the date that the application for the DEA number was made. As more DEA numbers are assigned, the letter "C" will probably be used, moving on to "D", etc. Mid-level practitioners (e.g., physician's assistants, nurse practitioners) are assigned the "M" Medical residents and pharmacy residents use the DEA number assigned to the hospital in which they practice, with the letter "T" included (for "trainee"). For example, the DEA number of a medical resident might begin with the letters BT, followed by the first initial of the resident's last name and the hospital's DEA number.

The Second letter of the DEA number is the first letter of the prescriber's last name. Thus, it is easy to check the validity of the prescription. If the prescriber's name is smith, for example, and the DEA number starts with AU, it is invalid (it should be AS, AU), unless the practitioner got married and changed their last name since receiving a DEA number. A valid DEA number can also be verified mathematically by adding the odd-numbered digits (the first, third, and fifth) to the sum of the even numbered digits (the second, fourth, and sixth), multiplied by two. The last digit of this number should be the same as the seventh number in the prescriber's DEA number.

You Receive a prescription at the pharmacy window, and the prescriber's DEA number is listed as DEA# AU3284065. First add the odd-numbered digits(the first, third, and fifth positions):

                                          3   +   8  +   0  =   11

DEA# AU3284065 Then, add the even-numbered digits (the second, fourth, and sixth position): and multiply by two

                                2   +   4   +   6   =   12   x   2   =   24

Adding the two sums together we have:

                                 11   +   24  =  35

The last digit in the calculated sum is 5, which matches the last digit of the DEA number. It thus appears to be a valid number. 

The authenticity of the DEA number can thus be verified in two ways: by comparing the letters in the DEA number against the name and status of the practitioner and by numerical calculation.