{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/human-medicines-regulations-2012/regulation-217BA",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/human-medicines-regulations-2012/regulation-217BA.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2012/1916",
  "legislation_title": "The Human Medicines Regulations 2012",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/human-medicines-regulations-2012",
  "path": "regulation/217BA",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "217BA",
  "heading": "Original pack dispensing: Northern Ireland",
  "text": "(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) to (4) and regulation 217CA, for the purposes of this Part, the sale or supply of a prescription only medicine is in accordance with a prescription (and with the directions contained in the prescription) where—\n(a) a different quantity is sold or supplied to that ordered on the prescription in order to allow for the sale or supply of the medicine in its manufacturer’s original outer packaging; and\n(b) the sale or supply is otherwise in accordance with the prescription.\n(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply—\n(a) to the sale or supply of a different quantity to that ordered on the prescription in circumstances where the different quantity is more than 10% greater or more than 10% less than the quantity ordered on the prescription; or\n(b) in circumstances where a pharmacist is carrying out , supervising or authorising (under regulation 220B) the carrying out of the sale or supply and the pharmacist considers, in the exercise of their professional skill and judgement, that the sale or supply of a different quantity to that ordered on the prescription may mean that the patient does not, or is not able to, follow the medication regimen as intended by the prescriber.\n(3) Paragraph (2) does not apply to—\n(a) a medicine in a form that makes it not practicable to dispense in the exact quantity ordered;\n(b) a medicine in a container that has an integral means of application or from which it is not practicable to dispense an exact quantity;\n(c) a medicine that cannot be dispensed in the quantity ordered without adversely affecting the medicine.\n(4) Paragraphs (1) to (3) do not apply in relation to a supply of a prescription only medicine that is subject to paragraphs 2(1) and (1A) of Schedule 2 to the Pharmaceutical Services Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997,\nuntil those Regulations expressly apply paragraphs (1) to (3) to those supplies.",
  "extent": "NI",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Regs. 217B, 217C inserted (E.W.S.) (11.10.2023) by The Human Medicines (Amendment Relating to Original Pack Dispensing) (England and Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1015), regs. 1(2), 2(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Reg. 217BA inserted (N.I.) (4.6.2024) by The Human Medicines (Amendment Relating to Original Pack Dispensing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (S.R. 2024/125), regs. 1(2), 2(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in reg. 217BA(2)(b) substituted (7.1.2026) by The Human Medicines (Authorisation by Pharmacists and Supervision by Pharmacy Technicians) Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1249), arts. 1(2)(5)(c), 12(8)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/1916/regulation/217BA",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T01:24:34.993203+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}