PHARMACIST STEVE

How many independent pharmacies have been locked out on controlled medications. My pharmacy has been locked out.
The three suppliers have given no legal reason for their actions. The only reason is a compliance department has made this decision based on DEA policy! THERE IS NO DEA POLICY!
Please respond if your pharmacy has been affected.

This is the FIFTH indy pharmacy that is being cut off from getting control meds from any wholesalers that I am aware of.. there could be more…

I have yet to hear about a chain drug store being “cut off” by a wholesaler… they are apparently being rationed.. but.. not cut off..  Could it be that … one wholesaler could not afford to “piss off” one of the chains by cutting off one of their stores… because they fear that the other two wholesalers would not concur with cutting the one store off .. and concerned that all the business of a particular chain would be picked up by one of the other two major wholesalers.

I am not an attorney.. but.. if three wholesalers all elect to not sell controls to a particular independent pharmacy.. is it just me.. or does this sound like collusion ? When you have three wholesalers that control 80%-90%+ of the market place… and they all “agree” to not to sell to a particular indy..

I know in the third party arena ( PBM’s) if more than one Pharmacy/Pharmacist discusses prices and/or accepting/denying one or more PBM contracts.. it is call “pricing fixing” and collusion.

Could there also be collusion among those within DOJ.. to allow the DEA to strong arm wholesalers to do this.. while turning a blind eye to the actions of the wholesalers that otherwise DOJ would go after for collusion or restraint of trade ?

Personally, I see a parallel here.. those in the chronic pain community.. it is just about all they can do to try and keep their life together.. between their chronic pain and many are trying to live on the meager amount that  they are provided being on Medicare/SS disability. They are physically/financially taxed.

Then you have the typical independent, you take away their ability to buy control meds… greatly impacts their ability to stay financially afloat… having to lay off staff and the Pharmacist/owner has to commit more of their own time to just running the business and trying to keep it afloat.. Likewise, they are physically/financially taxed..

Here is a interesting article in POPULAR SCIENCE .. in how the drug cartels are out-smarting the DEA

http://www.popsci.com/article/technology/radio-tecnico-how-zetas-cartel-took-over-mexico-walkie-talkies

I wonder how much of the 51 BILLION that the DEA spends annually was spent on Project Reckoning

the haul was indeed staggering: $90 million in cash, 61 tons of narcotics, and enough weapons to equip an insurgency, and 900 people rounded up across the U.S. and Mexico

If you read the entire story.. every time that the DEA takes out a “king pin”… another underlying steps up to take over the operation..

If you want to see how this whole process happens OVER AND OVER AGAIN… watch this 14 minute video .. http://youtu.be/ZfTY5Hw6wmE

by LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) who are former law enforcement who are now of the opinion that the war on drugs is USELESS !