Comments on: House Passes Bill To Take On Pill Mills, Fight Drug Abuse

By: John

John — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 03:01:51 +0000

The leading killer in drug overdose deaths in the state of Florida is Schedule II controlled substances that are primarily prescribed by untrained or uncaring physicians and filled, in many cases, by pharmacies that know all too well they are filling prescriptions from pill mills. Pharmacies in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties have been filling prescriptions from the south Florida pill mills for years and making a fortune at it. Ask your pharmacy clerks. For example, #120 Oxycodone 80 mg (i know they dont sell it any more) is worth about $900-$1100 at the pharmacy checkout and about $5,000-$7,000 on the street. I would think anyone paying $900 out of pocket for a prescription was send up some kind of flag. Pharmacists have the same protection that physicians do, they are allowed to use their “discretion” in filling prescriptions, dispite what the law says. Do they share any responsibility here? I agree, we don’t need any new laws. Just tell your pharmacist if their pharmacy fills prescriptions for pill mill doctors, you won’t be back. Problem solved.

By: eab

eab — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 05:18:36 +0000

“Today we are one step closer to giving law enforcement and regulators ”

“The House bill would place new restrictions on clinics, doctors, pharmacies and drug wholesalers”

“The House bill will keep the database, though it also would ban drug manufacturers from contributing money to pay for the system. That worries some database supporters because lawmakers have refused to set aside state money for the system.”

So, more regulations and unfunded mandates. And the Republicans are different, how?

Century girl is talking sense. Let’s try enforcing what we have before we load up more regulations.

Say….is Greg Evers paying attention or does it have to be about guns for him to notice?

By: John Reading

John Reading — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:12:54 +0000

You people are crazy if you think the State Government is going to do anything to regulate Physician Gods. They always put it on the back of local Pharmacies. Check the Federal DEA website and see how many doctors in the entire United States have had their license revoked since 2008…. the answer is about three. The Dr.’s that are writing these prescriptions are given permission to write narcotics by the DEA. Why doesnt the DEA go and take back some licenses? Because they are Doctors—excuse me, they are GODS.

By: Polythenepam

Polythenepam — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 13:37:11 +0000

I agree with your solution Century girl.

By: 2muchgoverment

2muchgoverment — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 13:25:09 +0000

I totally agree century. This bill will put mom and pop pharmacies’ out of business. And the 5000 pill amount will not even cover the elderly or Hospice patients let alone people with chronic issues. All this is going to do is fuel the illegal drug market. A addict will find something to get them high. Meth and herion use will hit the roof..Id put money on it.

By: Century girl

Century girl — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 07:10:45 +0000

Agreeably, the pill mills need to stop. Doctors offices shouldve never been allowed to have, operate and fill their own prescriptions. There has been lack of ability to control these operations. Therefore it has led to them filling only controlled substances and not other pharmacy meds.

However, another part of this bill is to put “restrictions on the quantity of certain drugs” that can be purchased from the wholesaler. This quantity in the bill as passed in the House is currently 5,000 tablets Per Month of in total purchases of drugs such as hydrocodone, morphine, oxycodone, and benzodiazepines. This is Total quatity of all these drugs- all strengths combined. This is a very unreal,
quantity limit. and will cause severe quantity shortages for medications needed for patients suffering from chronic pain, and even acute pain.

For example, as this bill is written, if a chain pharm. Like CVS, Walmart, Walgreens who buy from their own warehouse- could only buy 5000 of total quantity of all these drugs- for all the stores (combined) per month. Again- for All the stores thruout the state. It is an errouneously small number.

Net effect- this will lead to legitimate patients not being able to get meds, that are neccesary to help assist them in pain relief, or treatment of anxiety, just to name a couple of examples.

Solution…implement and followup on laws already in place. The background checks have always been required to open a pharmacy, like fingerprinting etc. Whether it just wasn’t required or wasn’t enforced for the doctors to be able to fill their patients’ preciptions, it Should be required & they should have oversite, just like retail pharmacy Is already! More laws are not th answer. Just enforce the ones already in place would be a good start.