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Pain Medication Acquisition Problems Growing, NCPA Survey Finds
The final results of the survey were posted today by NCPA
Pain-Racked Patients: ‘Collateral Damage’ in the War on Rx Drug Abuse
More than 1,000 NCPA members responded to our request last month for information about difficulties in accessing controlled substances to fill prescriptions needed to alleviate severe pain. Key points from the survey include:
Approximately 75% of respondents experienced three or more delays or issues caused by stopped shipments with their controlled substance orders, over the past 18 months.
- On average, 55 patients per pharmacy were affected by these delays.
- 89% of affected pharmacies received no advanced notice of the delay; they only found out when their order arrived and included just non-controlled substances.
- 60% said the delays in receiving these requested medications lasted at least one week.
- 68% were unable to procure controlled substances from an alternate source, such as a secondary wholesaler.
- Most reported having to turn patients away and refer them to a local competitor.
“Vulnerable patients are increasingly and tragically becoming collateral damage in the country’s battle against the abuse of prescription drugs, particularly narcotic painkillers,” said NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey, Pharmacist, MBA. “In the survey, community pharmacists repeatedly cited having their supplies or shipments of controlled substances abruptly shut off by their wholesalers, which may have done so due to perceived pressure, intimidation or a lack of clear guidance from law enforcement officials, such as the Drug Enforcement Administration.”
In presentations to Congress and to the Food and Drug Administration and DEA, NCPA has recommended steps to combat prescription drug abuse, while protecting patients. They include electronic prescription drug monitoring programs and tracking systems, more effective education of prescribers, shutting down rogue pain clinics, offering more disposal options for excess medications, and more scrutiny of controlled substances delivered by mail order pharmacies
Our government – and it agencies – are bound by our Constitution and the EIGHT AMENDMENT prevents our government from inflicting cruel and unusual punishment on our citizens.. and the Geneva convention prohibits our government from TORTURING prisoners of war… since we are fighting the “war on drugs”.. are these poor people/citizens being held as prisoners of this war and being tortured against our Constitution and Geneva Convention ? Maybe we reserve this restraint of torture only to those who would – or have tried – to kill us !
Filed under: General Problems
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