In Connecticut, testosterone cannot be prescribed through telehealth at all. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-906(c) says no telehealth provider “shall prescribe any schedule I, II or III controlled substance through the use of telehealth.” Testosterone is Schedule III. The only exceptions cover medication-assisted treatment and psychiatric disability or substance use disorder. A prior in-person visit does not unlock video prescribing.
Most in-person states on our telehealth testosterone by state map ask for an exam first and then let video carry the program. Connecticut regulates the channel the prescription travels through.
What the statute says, and what it does not
The current text, as amended by P.A. 25-168 § 116 effective June 30, 2025, bars telehealth prescribing of Schedule I, II and III drugs except a Schedule II or III substance used “(1) as part of medication-assisted treatment, or (2) for the treatment of persons with psychiatric disabilities or substance use disorders.” The 2025 amendment deleted the old non-opioid limit and added nothing that reaches testosterone. As of September 2026 we found no 2026 act amending subsection (c).
Testosterone is Schedule III federally (21 C.F.R. § 1308.13(f)), and the Department of Consumer Protection lists it as a Schedule 3 anabolic steroid in Connecticut.
Read the text for what it covers:
- It targets the prescribing act. Nothing in subsection (c) turns on whether you have met the patient before. A patient you examined in person last month still cannot receive a new testosterone prescription from a video visit.
- Telehealth includes your own clinic. Section 19a-906(a)(11) defines telehealth as care between a patient at an originating site and a provider at a distant site, including synchronous video. A patient sitting in your Connecticut clinic while the prescriber joins by video is still a telehealth encounter.
- The exceptions in subsection (g) are narrow. They cover on-call coverage, provider-to-provider consults, and hospital inpatient and outpatient orders. None of them fits an outpatient hormone program.
- Video care is not banned. Subsection (b) permits telehealth services generally, with consent, access to the medical history, and the in-person standard of care. You can use video for anything short of issuing the prescription.
The six-month math
Federal law caps every Schedule III prescription. Under 21 C.F.R. § 1306.22(a), it cannot be filled more than six months after issue or refilled more than five times. So each Connecticut patient needs a new prescription at least every six months, and in Connecticut that new prescription has to come from an in-person encounter.
A dose change is also a new prescription, so plan titration around in-person visits.
Refills written at an in-person visit are filled by the pharmacy without a new prescribing act. The statute does not address this case directly. We read those refills as prescribed in person, and we do not issue or modify a prescription off a video visit.
What video can and cannot do in a Connecticut program
| Program step | By video in Connecticut | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Intake, history, education, consent | Yes | § 19a-906(b) |
| First testosterone prescription | No, in person only | § 19a-906(c) |
| Lab review and symptom follow-up | Yes, with no new prescription | § 19a-906(b), (c) |
| Dose change | No, in person only | § 19a-906(c) |
| New prescription after six months or five refills | No, in person only | 21 C.F.R. § 1306.22(a); § 19a-906(c) |
| Patient in your clinic, prescriber remote | No, still telehealth | § 19a-906(a)(11) |
Registration and monitoring
Section 21a-317 requires every practitioner who prescribes a controlled substance in Connecticut to hold a certificate of registration from the Commissioner of Consumer Protection and to register for the Connecticut Prescription Monitoring and Reporting System (CPMRS). Section 21a-254(j)(9) then requires a CPMRS review before prescribing more than a 72-hour supply of any controlled substance, and at least every 90 days for continuous or prolonged treatment. Testosterone is continuous treatment.
The in-person path that works in Connecticut
For an operator with a physical site in the state:
- Staff the site with a Connecticut prescriber. A physician, PA or APRN licensed in Connecticut, with a Connecticut controlled substance registration, CPMRS access and a DEA registration.
- Run the prescribing visit in the room. History, exam, lab review and the prescription happen with the prescriber physically present.
- Review CPMRS before the first prescription and every 90 days after.
- Use video between visits for lab results, side effects and adherence, without issuing or changing a prescription.
- Book the next in-person visit at checkout, inside six months, and sooner during titration.
If the program runs inside a med spa, Connecticut has a separate in-person rule for the initial assessment. See Connecticut requires an in-person initial assessment, and medical director requirements in Connecticut for who has to hold what.
The federal date does not change Connecticut
The DEA flexibilities in 21 C.F.R. § 1307.41 run through December 31, 2026, as of September 2026. Whatever the DEA does after that date, Connecticut’s rule stands on its own. An extension does not open video prescribing here.
How MDside handles Connecticut
MDside is LegitScript certified, and LegitScript certification for TRT telehealth covers what reviewers check in a program like yours. Its testosterone visits are synchronous, live video with the prescriber, and offered only in states whose rules allow it. Connecticut’s rules do not allow a testosterone prescription by telehealth, so MDside does not start or renew Connecticut testosterone patients by video. See hormone therapy for how the program runs where it is permitted.
What this means for you
Do not route Connecticut testosterone leads into a video funnel, including a video visit taken from your own clinic. Build the program around a Connecticut prescriber who writes every prescription in the room, and schedule an in-person visit at least every six months and at every dose change. Use video for everything around the prescription. For aesthetics exams in the state, the separate rules are in good faith exams in Connecticut.
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
Can testosterone be prescribed through telehealth in Connecticut?
No. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-906(c) bars prescribing any Schedule I, II or III controlled substance through telehealth, and testosterone is Schedule III. The exceptions cover medication-assisted treatment and psychiatric disability or substance use disorder only. A testosterone prescription in Connecticut has to come from an in-person encounter with the prescriber.
If I see the patient in person first, can follow-up prescriptions be done by video in Connecticut?
No. The bar attaches to the act of prescribing through telehealth, whatever came before. A prior in-person exam does not change it. Video follow-ups can review labs and symptoms, but a new prescription or a dose change needs the prescriber and patient in the same room.
How often does a Connecticut testosterone patient need an in-person visit?
At least every six months in practice. Federal rule 21 C.F.R. § 1306.22 lets a Schedule III prescription be refilled no more than five times and no later than six months after issue. Each new prescription must be issued in person in Connecticut, and so must any dose change.
Does the DEA telemedicine extension change the Connecticut rule?
No. The DEA flexibilities under 21 C.F.R. § 1307.41 run through December 31, 2026, as of September 2026, and they waive only the federal in-person requirement. Connecticut’s § 19a-906(c) is a separate state prohibition, so it applies whether the federal flexibilities are extended or expire.
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This is general information, not legal advice. Rules vary by state and change. Confirm your own facts with counsel.