Thank you for sharing your story with reporter, Matt Grant, of WESH, Channel 2, Orlando. We received a copy of your email account of the challenges you have faced in having your pain prescriptions filled at local pharmacies. The Department of Health is aware of the challenges patients like you are facing in Florida and we are committed to gathering thoughts and ideas from the health care community to identify real solutions to solve this health care problem. My purpose in writing you is two-fold. First, to express my sincere sympathy for the difficulties you have faced. The second, to ask if we have your permission to share your email with the Board of Pharmacy committee members.
On June 8th, 2015, the Florida Board of Pharmacy will be convening a special committee to discuss the problem and identify solutions. Industry experts and members of the health care community will be invited to participate in a frank and open discussion. This will be a meeting open to the public and the media. We believe the most compelling evidence of the need for solutions is the personal story you and others like you have shared.
Please respond to this email with your desires. If you wish that we not share your email or that we hide your identify, we will most certainly comply with your wishes. Thank you again for sharing your experiences. We are confident that solutions will be identified and Florida patients will receive their needed medications, in the right dose, at the right time.
Sincerely,
Allison M. Dudley, J.D.
Executive Director | Board of Pharmacy
Department of Health | Division of Medical Quality Assurance
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C-00| Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Phone: (850) 245-4292
Attention Health Care Practitioners: There have been changes to the license renewal process. To learn more visit www.flhealthsource.com. For questions, contact the Florida Department of Health toll-free at (855) 410-3344 or email us at MQAReportCE@flhealth.gov
Mission: To protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.
Vision: To be the Healthiest State in the Nation.
Purpose: To protect the public through health care licensure, enforcement and information.
Focus: To be the nation’s leader in quality health care regulation.
Values: I.C.A.R.E. (Innovation, Collaboration, Accountability, Responsiveness, Excellence)
PLEASE NOTE: Florida has a very broad public records law. Most written communications to or from State officials regarding State business are public records available to the public and media upon request. Your email communications may therefore be subject to public disclosure.
Filed under: General Problems
Same her Kari…same meds, same pharmacy..filled all my rx’s with no problem. Suddenly this week the same meds are a problem and they refuse to fill both even though they have been doing it for months. Now instead of 4x a day my dr prescribed he will allow me 1x a day. Wtf what changed since the past few months? It’s rediculous and I finally found the right combo and was getting some relief. Back to the beginning..again!
What is this a response to? Is this woman asking for accounts from people who are disabled like me who’ve been discriminated against my FL pharmacists? Yesterday I went through hell AGAIN for one of my regular CII meds. The Walgreens pharmacist where I’ve previously filled this prescription without issue attempted to deny me my medication even AFTER speaking to my doctors office TWICE and verifying it’s legitimacy! Because I was forced to wait so long my legs turned purple from my severe vascular condition. She told lie after lie to my face. I fight all day every day against my physical symptoms and am able to manage it somewhat with medications. For the government who created this problem to continue enabling pharmacies to discriminate against the ill and disabled by doing nothing is disgusting, unethical and downright cruel!
What was the reason the pharmacist gave you for attempting to deny filling your prescription? And then were you able to fill it? What did your doctor say?
Well, that’s great, a meeting in June… It will take even longer to decide on a course of action. What are pain patients supposed to do in the meantime? And if you’re a terminal cancer patient, it’s not like you have time to wait.
Chronic pain doesn’t wait for anything. Patients will be forced to find alternative means to manage their pain, many of which are extremely dangerous. And it’s not like pain patients in Florida have access to medical cannabis.
Does the Board of Pharmacy have more power than the DEA? Whatever plan of action they decide on will have to be approved by the DEA, so good luck with that.