Digital prescriptions gain

Federal regulators are preparing to announce plans to allow digital prescribing of restricted medications, easing a barrier to widespread adoption of the technology. The proposal from the Drug Enforcement Administration comes as Congress appears likely to pass a bill that would push doctors to switch to electronic prescriptions from written ones. Together, the likely bill and the DEA shift may finally lead to widespread adoption of e-prescribing. Many doctors have been reluctant to purchase the technology because of concerns including cost and DEA restrictions.