NY Times reporter looking for pts having trouble getting controlled med Rxs filled

9 Responses

1. 

   Susan, on March 17, 2023 at 9:50 am said:

   Where can I find in plain language the DEA is making quotos for each drug stores supply of controlled meds. My husband says they can’t do that, I told him they are; he’s says where can u find this info from the DEA? He’s like all the time saying all internet bullshit.. In dec the pharmacy was out of my med, and their warehouse had nothing too; I know it’s true. Been hearing this for a long time from patients not getting their meds❗

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     Pharmaciststeve, on March 17, 2023 at 11:01 am said:

     I was at a fl BOP meeting in June 2015 and there was a Pharmacist/Attorney/VP of Cardinal drug wholesaler = one of the top 3 drug wholesaler and a DEA agent… the DEA agent stated that they were not rationing controls to pharmacy and the VP asked him why Cardinal had some 30 employees – whose sole job was to managing/tracking the rationing limits to the pharmacies that they provided controlled meds to… The DEA agent didn’t have a real believable response. also at the end of 2022, the DEA made an announcement that the pharma production quotas were “just about right – supply vs demand – and then the DEA announced reduction reductions is the pharma quota production quotas for controls. Opiate Rxs filled peaked in 2011-2012..jut after the decade of pain law expired and was not renewed and Rx opiates dispensed has decreased abt 60%… while Opioid OD/poisonings in the last 10 yrs is up abt SEVEN FOLD. Yes, it is probably a violation of the Interstate Commerce Act – so it would appear that the DOJ is charged with enforcement of this law… DEA also happens to be part of the DOJ. This might also explain why the agency in charge of enforcing Americans with disability Act and Civil Rights Act is part of the DOJ and all pts that try to file a discrimination complaint against healthcare provider – are told by this agency they don’t have the budget to deal with it. Apparently our laws are only as good as the agencies that are suppose to enforce the law
     I asked CHATGPT this at the federal level who enforces the interstate commerce act

     The Interstate Commerce Act is a federal law that regulates the transportation of goods and people between states. The enforcement of this law is the responsibility of several government agencies, including the Surface Transportation Board (STB), which is an independent agency within the Department of Transportation (DOT). The STB is responsible for regulating railroad transportation, including rates, services, and practices, to ensure that they are reasonable and not discriminatory.

     In addition, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which is also a part of the DOT, is responsible for regulating the trucking industry, including interstate commerce involving commercial vehicles. The FMCSA oversees safety regulations, licensing, and registration of carriers.

     Finally, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is responsible for investigating and prosecuting violations of the Interstate Commerce Act. The DOJ’s Antitrust Division enforces the antitrust laws, including those related to competition and pricing practices in the transportation industry.

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2. 

   Kellie Flor-Robinson, on February 4, 2023 at 10:54 pm said:

   I was told by Walgreens that would not fill my opiate pain medications.
   When I switched to a grocery store chain, there were problems 3 times out of twelve receiving my medications on time. I was told it was due to not getting medications from their usual distributor. Twice I got my medications a few days later than they were due. This can become problematic because of the the probability of going through medical withdrawals. Last month, they could not fill an antibiotic and had my script transfered to another local pharmacy. Seems like this is happening nation wide. If you need any further clarification, contact me at moxie2560@hotmail.com Thank you,

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3. 

   maryw M, on February 2, 2023 at 9:48 pm said:

   Just went thru this crap,,I had no idea,,now,,,they go off the ,”pic up,” date,,,NOT,,,,, the fill date on bottles anymore,,I didn’t know this,,,But last time,,for my script was a nightmare,,and this time,,no-one gave a rats ass if I lived or died,,really,,they don’t care if we die,,”Let em die off,”,,,jmo,maryw,

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     Pharmaciststeve, on February 2, 2023 at 10:03 pm said:

     I believe that this is happening because, there were all too many times that a Rx dept tech typed in a pt’s Rx for a controlled substance – printed the label – and the pharmacy computer sent it to the state PDMP, but the pharmacist on duty, refused to approve it… and there is no way for the pharmacy to reverse the Rx in the PDMP. They can reverse it in the Rx dept computer system but not the PDMP. So the pt takes the Rx to another pharmacy and it gets filled and all of a sudden the pt shows up with having the same med filled on the same day at different pharmacies on the state’s PDMP system. You know it is a scientific fact that if a pt has one-two extra days supply of their opiate meds… they will end up becoming addicted or OD… NOT!!!

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       Haven, on February 7, 2023 at 2:16 am said:

       Walgreens did this to me in January with alprazolam. The PDMP system said it was filled/dispensed to me on 1/17, but it was actually out of stock. I was trying anywhere to find it in stock for 10 days before they finally got it in – but then it was delayed due to the system saying they already dispensed it. I was only able to figure this part out because my psychiatrists office was confused why I was asking for a script that the PDMP said had been dispensed to be sent to a new pharmacy. Same Walgreens has not been able to fill my adderall this entire year. Adderall everywhere around here isn’t in a consistent supply, and each pharmacy is only getting limited amounts of really random mg strengths of XR, and very few places are getting/dispensing the IR either.

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4. 

   Florence warrell, on February 1, 2023 at 10:46 am said:

   Yeah that’s what I just had happen it could have been the end of me. They’re trying to get rid of us. They are depopulation agenda is underway.

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5. 

   Lisa Amos, on January 31, 2023 at 7:28 pm said:

   I have an RX for an ADHD medication. The last few times, I only got portions of an order, which were eventually made complete over a period of days. Also, I am having to pay a surcharge to get this one medication, BECAUSE, there is a nationwide shortage. Makes no sense. I need the medication to function properly and whoever is in control of the supply needs to be fired. I’ve read conflicting stories about the shortage of this med — some pharmacists saying there is no shortage, where I personally have had to pay more for my RX. I have BC/BS and have never heard of a surcharge for specific medications due to shortages. It isn’t that much and instead of raising hell, I just pay so I don’t have to go without.

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     Pharmaciststeve, on February 1, 2023 at 3:29 pm said:

     During the pandemic the DEA ‘loosen” the rules around tele-video office visits and prescribing. One of the major players was a outfit called Cerebral https://cerebral.com/ and they encouraged their pts to use a Truepill pharmacy https://truepill.com/ and I understand that Mark Cuban just purchased Truepill pharmacy. Since the pandemic is over, the DEA has returned to their old restriction on tele-video office visits and prescribing and as I understand it … Cerebral has realigned the type of pts they are treating. Apparently Cerebral and other such firms, ended up pretty much depleting the pharmas’ production quota for certain categories of controlled meds From what I have heard the DEA has refused to adjust the pharmas’ production quota. If you have a “drug/med card” for your prescriptions, typically the contract that these pharmacies have with insurance companies the pharmacies are prohibited from charging the pt more than what the insurance company’s computer told the pharmacy to charge the pt for the particular Rx.

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