Drug Makers and Distributors Commandeered by Cops

Jeffrey A. SingerIn the latest episode of “Cops Practicing Medicine,” a floor vote is scheduled in the House of Representatives for H.R. 3878, sponsored by Rep. David McKinney, (R-WV). Under current law, drug makers and distributors are required to report to the Drug Enforcement Administration any suspicious orders for controlled substances. H.R. 3878 would also require them to perform “due diligence” on their suspicions, document and report their due diligence to the DEA, and refuse to fill the order if their suspicions are not resolved by the due diligence.This amounts to the DEA commandeering the drug makers and distributors.For the past ten years, the DEA and other policymakers effectuated a dramatic reduction in opioid prescribing only to see the overdose rate climb, as non ‐​medical users have switched to cheaper and more readily available heroin and fentanyl provided by the efficient black market.The DEA has gradually tightened production quotas of injectable and non ‐​injectable opioids generating shortages of intravenous opioids during the COVID-19 pandemic, causing many hospitals to cancel or delay necessary procedures and jeopardizing the management of patients on ventilators, according to a July 22report from the hospital policy groupPremier.This is not the first time that DEA opioid production quotas caused a critical shortage in hospitals. I wrotehere about the shortage the agency helped create in 2018.For the past s...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs