Which class of drugs can have no refills?

The class of drugs that can have no refills is Schedule II. This classification includes substances that have a high potential for abuse and dependency. As a regulatory measure, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) imposes strict regulations on these drugs, including the requirement that prescriptions for Schedule II medications cannot be refilled. This means that each prescription must be a new, written order from a licensed healthcare provider.

In practice, this regulation is designed to minimize the risk of misuse and to ensure that patients are regularly evaluated by their healthcare provider when they require such medications. This necessity for new prescriptions also reflects the seriousness of the conditions often treated with these drugs and the attention needed to monitor their use.

Other schedules, such as Schedule III, IV, and V, allow for a limited number of refills—typically up to five times within a six-month period or as specified by the prescribing physician. Therefore, these classes do not have the same strict limitations as Schedule II drugs.