Apply for or renew a practitioner or researcher MCSR

You may now apply for or renew a MCSR on the Health Professions Licensing Portal. If this is your first time using this new portal, please visit Health Professions Licensing System User Guide for information on how to get started. 

What you need before applying for a new MCSR 

• Your Massachusetts Board of Registration License Number 

• DEA Federal Controlled Substance Registration Number (if possessed) 

• Business Address 

  • Per our regulations, the address provided for your MCSR must be a place where you conduct business, specifically, prescriptive practice.  See, 105 CMR 700.004(F).  Under the applicable law and regulations, the address used for your MCSR must be your principal place of business or professional practice.  If you do not have such a place of business or professional practice, the Drug Control Program allows registrants to use their home address.  The address provided need not be located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  

  • Out-of-state addresses need a letter of explanation 

• Primary telephone number 

• Primary email address 

• Social Security Number (Required by M.G.L. c. 30A, s. 13A) 

• Date of Birth 

• Attachments 

  • Researchers-Approved studies copy of IRB or IACUC approval letter for any human/animal research, or copy of an FDA Form 1572 for any human research which involves investigational new drugs. 
  • List of each specific drug used
  • The source of controlled substances and/or IND’s supplied to/obtained by the researcher
  • The purpose controlled substances and/or IND’s will be used
  • Detailed manner in which Controlled Substances and/or IND’s will be secured
    • Construction of storage area
    • Accountability system
  • Veterinarians—current board issued wallet card 

Research Inspection Requirements

• Brief Program/Study Overview
• Department Organization Chart
• Location Overview, including:
  • Floor Plan and Square Footage
  • General Hours of Operation
  • Visitor Policy (i.e.: access to building: escorted, non-escorted, etc.) 
  • Other occupants, who are they?

• Supplier Information (i.e., who has access to order, where orders are received, etc.).
  • Name or person ordering
  • Process of Ordering
  • Process of Receiving/Deliveries
  • Process of Reverse Distribution/Destruction (Supplier information)
• Security Standard Operating Procedures SOPs/Policies
  • Access to the facility (individualized key cards, keys, etc.)
• Access to limited areas/lab within facilities 
  • (Individualized key cards, keys, etc.)
• Storage of controlled substances 
  • Safe/steel cabinet
  • Location of storage

• Security of storage (if applicable surveillance cameras, motion sensors, contact switches, glass break detectors, panic buttons, etc.) 
  • Alarm Company Information
  • Who will be contacted if a breach occurs?
• Recording Keeping

How, where and for how long will the records be kept (bounded logbooks, electronic system, etc.)

Important information for Researchers

• DEA researcher manual
• Retail Pharmacy Participation in Research Drug Studies (PDF) | (DOC)