With the change in the schedule of Hydrocodone to a C-II.. leaving Codeine/APAP the only opiate that is not a C-II… will we see a switch to APAP/Cod using the most common vehicle of it being prescribed/obtained
OR….
will we increasingly see a new “vehicle” used to prescribe/obtain opiates
Over 50% of those who work for the DEA SIT AT A DESK…
The chains (WAGS/CVS/Rite Aid) have policies that their Pharmacists cannot be armed and
Walgreens has started installing time delayed safes.. and hoping that desperate addicts will read signage advising about the timed delayed safes.
We might finally have a “issue” that will unite Pharmacists !
Filed under: General Problems
So opioidphobic pharmacists and State AGs can soon add HCP to the ‘pharmacy crawl’ lists and even more chronic pain patients who havent reached the thresholds of stronger pain meds to their ‘addict’ hit lists. Soon the veterans may be hitting the community health systems while the VA is getting cleaned up, post amputees, burns, tramatic war wounds. I believe it wont be long before Tylenol 3&4 is moved up to 2. The DEA is on a power trip. Public outcry at the barriers needs to be louder than the detractors. Legislators and the rest of the public need to see the real chronic pain patients. So far all they are fed is the image of the ‘street junkie’ . Wonder if the DEA can be part of an ADA lawsuit if these new regs create barriers to enough patients to affect access to proper treatment.? The War on Drugs is an utter failure….this was clearly demonstrated in the 20s with Prohibition.
I had already considered the changes that will take place when Hydrocodone goes CII. We will see a veritable avalanche in the use of Tylenol with Codeine and Ultram, and probably some increase in Butalbital with Acetaminophen. Then, there will be this ‘addiction’ to Tylenol with Codeine and the DEA will make it CII. Now, can you consider all the extra paperwork that we pharmacists face with Hydrocodone going CII and all the extra work inventoring it. This does not even touch on the problem faced by thousands of chronic pain sufferers. We have people in wheelchairs….can you imagine the extra burden for them of obtaining a written prescription? It will be interesting to see how all this ‘plays out’. How will the public react? Will there be enough protesting by the public to put enough pressure on the DEA to reverse this decision? Is this issue something that will unite pharmacists? I doubt it! But, it certainly is an issue and pharmacists would not be alone in uniting against this DEA regulation. We would have the doctors, nurse practitioners, and the public behind us. This is an issue where the pharmacists groups could unite and have the power of public opinion behind them. Once the DEA regulation takes place and it begins to effect the thousands of chronic pain sufferers there is going to be an outcry by the public.
Oh, great. I reduced my consumption anyway. Now I guess I will have to cajol or reduce further my use. That’s a good thing though. Now I will likely have to substitute benzos for good old hydrocodone.
In all probability we might see a spike in oxycodone or worse, heroin.
I am glad to see there are pharmacists fighting in the trenches on the drug issue… I am not a US resident myself, but we have similar problems here. Unlike in the US, common people here are not aware of the impact drug laws are having.
Start stocking up on red shirts people.