Regarding cosignatures on PA prescriptions, when is a cosignature required in NY?

• A. Always
• B. Only for Schedule II substances
• C. Never
• D. Only if the institution requires it

Answer: (D)

In New York, cosignatures on PA prescriptions are not mandated by state law for all cases. Whether a cosignature is required depends on the institution's own policy. Supervision and prescriptive authority are set through the PA’s practice agreement with a supervising physician, but the actual requirement to have a cosignature is a policy decision of the employer or facility. That’s why the correct answer is that a cosignature is required only if the institution requires it.

Context: PAs in NY operate under supervising physicians, and they may prescribe medications under that relationship. The addition of a cosignature is a safety and accountability measure chosen by the workplace—some places require cosignatures for all prescriptions, some only for certain drug classes or scenarios, and some may not require them at all. The key point is that it’s facility-driven, not universally mandated by law.