Montana Board of Pharmacy

MPDR Data Submitter (Clearinghouse)
MPDR User

Montana Prescription Drug Registry (MPDR)


  • MPDR fees will be abated for prescriber and pharmacist license renewal period beginning October 31, 2023.  
  • Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians: Take advantage of a free 1-hour ACPE continuing education program by visiting https://ce.talemhealth.com/a/HLQIJS. This program will provide insight into how pharmacy staff’s data entry process affects prescription monitoring program data, clinical decision making, and downstream data analysis.  
  • MPDR, in partnership with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, is excited to announce state-wide funding of MPDR Integration with CDC Overdose Data to Action funds through August 2028.  Click here for MPDR Integration information

  • The Montana Prescription Drug Registry (MPDR) was authorized by the Montana Legislature in 2011 and became functional in November 2012 as an online tool to provide a list of controlled substance prescriptions to health care providers to improve patient care and safety. The program may also be used to identify potential misuse or diversion of controlled substances.  See Montana Code Annotated (MCA) 37-7-1501 through 1515.

    The MPDR online service offers prescribers and pharmacists the ability to search their patient’s medical history for controlled substance prescriptions, Schedules II - V. Health care providers can use the MPDR to optimize the quality of care they provide to their patients and improve patient safety.

  • All pharmacies with an active Montana license are required to report to the MPDR.  Pharmacies must submit detailed information on all controlled substances, Schedules II, III, IV and V drugs, dispensed to Montana patients by the next business day after the date the prescription was dispensed.  This includes community pharmacies, out-of-state mail order pharmacies, outpatient surgical centers, dangerous drug researchers, and institutional pharmacies under certain circumstances.  Wholesale Drug Distributors are not required to report to the MPDR. 

    The prescription data includes information that identifies the patient and the prescriber, the pharmacy, the drug name, strength and dosage, refill information, and how the patient paid for their prescription.  Refer to 37-7-1503, MCA, and Admin. Rules of Montana (ARM) 24.174.1704 for full details.

    Download theMPDR/Appriss Data Submission Guide for Dispensersfor complete instructions on how to register and submit data to the MPDR.

  • The MPDR database contains protected and confidential information (37-7-1505, MCA). Pursuant to 37-7-1506(6), MCA, the Montana Board of Pharmacy is required to maintain administrative rules regarding access to the MPDR that are consistent with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA); Article II, section 10 of the Montana Constitution; and the privacy provisions of Title 50, chapter 16 MCA.
  • Each Montana licensee who is authorized to prescribe or dispense prescription drugs is required to pay a $30 fee for establishing and maintaining the MPDR (37-7-1511(1), MCA). Collection of this fee is integrated with Montana’s license renewal process.
  • As defined in 37-7-1506, MCA, the following Montana-licensed health care providers are authorized to access the online MPDR service by registering to view the prescription history of patients who are under their care or who have been referred to them for care: Physicians, Dentists, Optometrists, Physician Assistants, Podiatrists, Naturopathic Physicians, APRNs with a Prescriptive Authority endorsement, and Pharmacists.   There are criminal and administrative penalties for inappropriate use of the MPDR (37-7-1513, MCA).

    • Any individual can request a copy of their own prescription history from the MPDR.
    • Authorized representatives of Medicare, Medicaid, Tribal Health, Indian Health Services and Veterans Affairs may also access the online MPDR service.
    • Law enforcement officers may subpoena information related to an active investigation.
    • Licensing Board investigators may request information related to an active investigation into alleged prescription abuse or diversion by a licensed health care provider.
    • Delegates searching on behalf of a Registered User. 
  • MPDR Registered Users can delegate their MPDR search authority to authorized agents, or Delegates, and serve as a Supervising Provider of the Delegate.  A Supervising Provider is responsible for monitoring how their Delegate uses the MPDR’s online service and for updating their online relationship(s) when staffing changes occur.  Delegates must identify/select the Supervising Provider who authorizes each of their patient history searches in order to perform a search.  MPDR Supervising Providers must re-verify delegates every March and September, no matter when the delegate was first approved.  Registered Users with delegates will be notified by email and on their Montana PMP AWARxE dashboard when the delegate renewal period has begun.
  • MPDR Statistics are complied quarterly and presented at the Board of Pharmacy meeting. Click here for current MPDR Statistics information.
Back To Top