Physicians and Surgeons - As enacted, makes various changes relative to the authority of a physician or podiatrist to prescribe, dispense, or administer medication to the provider's own self or immediate family; makes re, the official text

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~tate of \lrennessee

PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 935

                                                 HOUSE BILL NO. 1205

                                               By Representative Kumar

                                       Substituted for: Senate Bill No. 1153

                                        By Senators Crowe, Pody, Powers

         AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33; Title 39; Title 53; Title 63 and
Title 68, relative to healthcare services.

          WHEREAS, the prescription of medication or treatment by a licensed physician to the
physician's own self or to immediate family is not prohibited by law; and

          WHEREAS, the American Medical Association and the Tennessee Medical Association
have provided ethical guidelines under which a physician may prescribe medications or treat
self or members of immediate family; now, therefore,

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapter 1, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:

                    (a) As used in this section:

                              (1) "Immediate family" means a physician's or podiatrist's spouse, parent,
                    child, sibling, or another individual in relation to whom a physician's or podiatrist's
                    personal or emotional involvement may render that physician or podiatrist unable
                    to exercise detached professional judgment in reaching diagnostic or therapeutic
                    decisions;

                              (2) "Physician" means a physician licensed under chapter 6 or 9 of this
                    title;

                              (3) "Podiatrist" has the same meaning as defined in§ 63-3-101;

                              (4) "Scheduled drug" means a drug, substance, or immediate precursor
                    in Schedules I through V of the federal Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. §
                    812); and

                              (5) "Supervisee" means an individual providing healthcare services under
                    the direct supervision or in collaboration with a physician or podiatrist.

                    (b) A physician or podiatrist may prescribe, dispense, or administer medication
          for, or otherwise treat, the physician's or podiatrist's own self or immediate family in
          short-term, minor, or acute, emergency situations.

                    (c) Notwithstanding subsection (b), a physician or podiatrist may prescribe,
          dispense, or administer a scheduled drug to the physician's or podiatrist's own self or
          immediate family only in acute, emergency situations.

                    (d) A physician or podiatrist may prescribe, dispense, or administer medication
          for, or otherwise treat, immediate family within the physician's or podiatrist's regular
          scope of practice if there is no other physician or podiatrist offering healthcare services
          at a location within thirty (30) miles of the physician's or podiatrist's primary practice site.

                    (e) Inhere is an established provider-patient relationship between a supervising
          or collaborating physician or podiatrist and a supervisee, which includes a chart for such
          physician or podiatrist, then the supervisee may prescribe, dispense, or administer
HB1205
          medication for, or otherwise treat, a supervising or collaborating physician or podiatrist or
          such physician's or podiatrist's immediate family only in acute or emergency situations.
                    (f) A supervisee may prescribe, dispense, or administer scheduled drugs for a
          supervising or collaborating physician or podiatrist or the supervising or collaborating
          physician's or podiatrist's immediate family only in acute, emergency situations.
                    (g) A physician, podiatrist, or supervisee shall maintain records of all treatment
          provided pursuant to this section.
          SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.

                                                                2
         HOUSE BILL NO. 1205

PASSED:  April 21, 2026

                         CAMERON SEXTON, SPEAKER
                         HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

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                                            RANDYMCNAL

                                 PEAKER OF THE SENAT

~ APPROVED this 'J-f:L. day of   2026

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BILL LEE, GOVERNOR