WESH 2 gets answers on state’s prescription problems
Controlled Substances Standards Committee to hold meeting at 2 p.m. June 9
After five months of a WESH 2 Investigation, the state of Florida seems to be taking some action on behalf of patients in pain.
Stories of prescription medication denials now number in the thousands, with blame placed on everyone involved in the process.
Now one agency is stepping up to see what can be changed.
“On a personal level, I feel horrible for them,” said Allison Dudley, executive director of the Florida Board of Pharmacy in Tallahassee. “I can’t imagine what some of the patients have to go through with 10 pharmacies a day trying to fill their prescriptions.”
The Board of Pharmacy makes the rules that pharmacists in Florida must follow. It’s that power that has many individuals feeling that the board could hold the answer to Florida’s prescription problems.
When Dudley and others saw the hundreds of patient testimonials outlined by WESH 2, they helped create the Controlled Substances Standards Committee
“Of course we want to do what we can to assist the patients in Florida to get their needed medications. I couldn’t look at those letters and not want to help,” Dudley said.
Five members of the Board of Pharmacy will meet on June 9 at the B Resort in Lake Buena Vista to hammer out a solution. They’ll be looking at changing or creating rules to ease the prescription problem.
The meeting, which is open to the public, will also welcome input from some of the people taking the blame for the problem, including pharmacy chains and drug wholesalers.
“I have not had any contact with the DEA,” Dudley said
Dudley said she does not know if DEA officials will attend the meeting, but says they are welcome.
Dudley can’t predict what the committee will do, but she says pharmacists who ignore any measures voted on and approved risk fines or having their licenses revoked.
“There would be rules, (and) any time we enact a rule, that’s something a pharmacist would have to follow,” Dudley said.
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All members of the newly formed committee have denied WESH 2’s requests for interviews.
Click here to view the agenda for the Controlled Substances Standards Committee meeting.
Filed under: General Problems
Finally! Let’s keep our fingers crossed that new rules will be put in place and that ALL legitimate pain patients acute or chronic can get their meds filled! Thank you Pharmacist Steve for posting this in your page!
Caution to patients: Keep advocating your butts OFF until we get this mess fixed. Don’t stop yet!
After this one is resolved, we will need to keep fighting for ALL other states to keep adequate pain care available. The fight is not over!