(1)(a) The appropriate board shall require each person registered with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and authorized to prescribe controlled substances pursuant to 21 U.S.C. s. 822 to complete a board-approved 2-hour continuing education course on prescribing controlled substances offered by a statewide professional association of physicians in this state that is accredited to provide educational activities designated for the American Medical Association Physician’s Recognition Award Category 1 Credit or the American Osteopathic Category 1-A continuing medical education credit as part of biennial license renewal. The course must include information on the current standards for prescribing controlled substances, particularly opiates; alternatives to these standards; nonpharmacological therapies; prescribing emergency opioid antagonists; and the risks of opioid addiction following all stages of treatment in the management of acute pain. The course may be offered in a distance learning format and must be included within the number of continuing education hours required by law. The department may not renew the license of any prescriber registered with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration to prescribe controlled substances who has failed to complete the course. The course must be completed by January 31, 2019, and at each subsequent renewal. This paragraph does not apply to a licensee who is required by his or her applicable practice act to complete a minimum of 2 hours of continuing education on the safe and effective prescribing of controlled substances.
(b) Each practitioner required to complete the course required in paragraph (a) shall submit confirmation of having completed such course when applying for biennial license renewal.
(c) Each licensing board that requires a licensee to complete an educational course pursuant to this subsection must include the hours required for completion of the course in the total hours of continuing education required by law for such profession unless the continuing education requirements for such profession consist of fewer than 30 hours biennially.