Read this. I usually check with this place to get any news updates and to see what's going on. I'm not sure if this is what's going on with all our companies but it sure does seem like it. I know they probably read our posts and gather info that way. Maybe I'm just reading too much into it but maybe not.
I have seen it before, and I believe I even posted it, but, even though this one is dated June 07, they had another one about a year ago, in their operation Cyber <something or the other> that was pretty much the same. Their biggest success however was shuting down Amerisource Bergen (one of three or four big wholsalers of prescription drugs) for a while the first of this year--their Florida Warehouse in particular. In order to open up again, the DEA made AS/B agree to monitor how many doses are ordered by pharmacies and report them to the DEA if they thought it was suspicious. Notice the DEA doesn't and can't do that because it isn't illegal for pharmacies to dispense controlled substances. So by harrassing one of the "big boys" they get them to do their dirty work for them.
Are there bad actors in the cyberspace world? You bet! Are there bad actors in every other way the medicine and patients interact? Yes, even more so. But I believe the DEA is starting to overreach and requiring things more to do with medical practice and are starting to act extra-legally. Unfortunately, they are the government, and the biggest on of them all, the feds. So even the "big boy" pharmacuetical companies roll over rather than fight. But I believe one of these days they are going to be seriously challenged legally. What they want, from their law enforcement perspective, is finally going to so conflict with much of the medical profession and basic concepts of individual (civil) liberties. That is unless good ol elected officials like Henry Waxman and Diane Feinstein, et al., and a pliant judiciary (and trust me here, it is not a "liberal/conservative" thing) help them along. There is still serious debate in some scholarly legal corners whether or not the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 is constitutional, or at least parts of it and the way it is enforced. Previous attempts at federal regulation of medicines and medical practice earlier in the 20th century all met with serious constitutional challeges. Some failed on those grounds. But with the popularity of the "War on Drugs" not in doubt, don't expect any good resolutions soon. We just have more and more scared practitioneers out there, new medical students practically brain-washed that "anything" is better than good pain therapy, and lots of scared pharmacists and patients. Sad state of affairs. PB
So you've seen this before? Since every company is basically running behind or has gone under I was just thinking that they will all be gone within the year. I know some will pop back up like weeds but they will be few and far between won't they? I know this is so stupid what we have to do to get relief from our pain. We have to resort to internet physicians. What else can we do? I guess I'm feeling like the glass is half empty these days. I don't like doing what I do but I have no choice.
I still think that ROP's will always be out there. There is just too much money to be made for them to run scared because of things like this. I hope we all can still get help when we need it, and I'm thinking positivly on this one, glass half full so to speak.
Oh, I forgot to add that I think we will see more direct script programs popping up as these pharmacies are being targeted. In my opinion, the direct script guys are being more and more carefull, requiring more records and even more forms to protect themselves and make it more "legal". I think they will stick around for a while, where there is a market there will always be providers looking for the cash.
P.S. Could I possibly used the word "more" and "more" than I just did in this post? Ha, ha....ha...
SKB, I agree with you completely. Whenever we have a problem at work we just follow the $$$ and we always find the answer. So, since this is a huge cash cow I think the current providers will just keep changing every time they get threatened but it involves way too much $$$ to stop. I guess I am an optimist too.
The media keeps telling me that all I have to do is "point and click" for any drug under the sun, I have been watching this board for awhile, sure wish I knew where exactly these "point and click" sites are. Hmmmm"? David
now THAT was interesting! thanks for sharing SKB!...tho i recognized that poster (my photographic memory) and i believe what that post says is true. not very cool posting something like that tho...MAYBE he is one of them? sorry...i think these guys are on these boards working their own magic and causing panic...it is cruel. i wish they could be sitting in this chair right now and be ME trying to stand on this foot that is just throbbing and alternately stabbing, with numbness and tingling and having walked on from 6am til just now at 8:30pm. i work 3 jobs that have me on my feet from 7:30am til 4:30. i get a 1/2 hour lunch...i've word a pedometer and i average 10 miles a day! and with plantar facitis? it is agony!
ya know what tho? out of all the people these OCSes serve, we are the ones who are legitmate CPers. we hang and share and talk and back off the meds when things get hairy...we are the honest ones and should not be hassled....but i am preaching to the choir here...maybe our doctors will see the light some day....and then my prince will come...lol!
