State Sen. Joseph Griffo (R-Rome) is urging the governor to approve legislation that would delay the deadline for New York physicians and pharmacists to have a paperless drug prescription system under way by the end of the month.

Griffo represents the 47th Senate District, including a swath running through the middle of St. Lawrence County from Massena to Fine, including Potsdam.

Doctors and pharmacists have been working to get their systems in place before a deadline at the end of this month, Griffo said, while the state Health Department has been working to provide assistance, training, and information. But there are still doctors who are unaware that the new rule affects all prescriptions done within the state.

Griffo co-sponsored a measure (Senate #2486) to extend the deadline by one year to March 27, 2016. The original deadline was set as part of the state’s I-STOP law in 2012, which was passed to fight the abuse of stolen, forged and traded prescriptions.

New York’s pharmacists and doctors are required to have the software capability to issue and receive all prescriptions electronically to help ensure that prescriptions aren’t handwritten, printed out, emailed or faxed.

“Since 2012, we’ve been rushing to mandate a prescription system with requirements that must meet federal and state standards, all while other states are watching how this pioneering, state-sponsored program is going to be implemented,” Griffo said in a press release. “Dozens of doctors and pharmacists have told me they need more time to prepare, or else the public will see a rise in frustrated, sick consumers and health providers.”

Griffo said that the new rules will allow for some limited exemptions, such as for a temporary electronic failure or exemptions for out-of-state pharmacies.

“But the I-STOP law’s original intent of curbing prescription drug abuse isn’t going to make many exceptions. I hope that the Governor shares our intention to make this roll-out as safe, well-informed and convenient as any government mandate can possibly be and approves the measure before him.”

The bill, also approved in the Assembly, was delivered to the governor’s office Monday, March 2.