Drug firms shipped 20.8M Hydro-Oxy pain pills to 2 Pharmacies in a town with 2,900 people

originally posted by: intrptr

So if anyone wonders how Prescription Pharmaceuticals make it to the street...

Like this isn't tracked by the FDA. That many pills to such small pharmicies doesn't raise any red flags, only 'finding out' about it long after the deal is done.

Where did all those pills go? Arrest those 'distributors', subpoena computer files detailing all those scrips ...

I can tell you with 100% certainty that narcotics (hydrocodone and oxycodone) and certain controlled meds (subutex, xanax, clonazepam) are monitored CLOSELY. Our supplier lets us know if we are approaching our order limits for a month. If we go over, we need to submit a reason as to why we are dispensing so much, if they do not like the answer we can be cut off and will notify the DEA.

I have no idea what wholesaler these pharmacies used, but it is mind boggling to me that they werent cut off from ordering.

originally posted by: Blue Shift

originally posted by: 3daysgone
How else do you think the enemies of America are going to invade us?

Through their delicious ethnic restaurants?

Ummm...How cellular...

Dim sum anyone...anyone...?




YouSir

a reply to: YouSir

An agent who worked the investigation stated the DOJ knew the pharm companies had high dollar lawyers so they seemed to believe they were untouchable.

What kind of thinking is that? You may be right about the center of their activities at the time because it wasn't about justice.

a reply to: annoyedpharmacist

Yea, that might be your deal, but other places have another deal worked out. If you know what i mean.

originally posted by: roadgravel
a reply to: YouSir

An agent who worked the investigation stated the DOJ knew the pharm companies had high dollar lawyers so they seemed to believe they were untouchable.

What kind of thinking is that? You may be right about the center of their activities at the time because it wasn't about justice.

DOJ F'ed the pooch- You don't say.....

a reply to: annoyedpharmacist

Find the 60 minutes special - here is an short intro.

It was all known and little was done.

a reply to: seasonal

Off the top of my head, a population of 2900, gorging on 20 millions OC's or Hydies, works out to something like for every person - 2 oxys a day, every single day, for every month over ten years.
And I think we can assume, that not every single person in the town is taking them.
But An addict will need, bare minimum 1 pill a day just to keep from getting sick.

Meanwhile those who don't abuse, and greatly benefit from these medications are having doses that were stable for years cut drastically. I assume this will only feed the illegal sales and "black market" sales.

Doctors are afraid of losing licenses, many people drive great distances because of how few physicians are willing to treat chronic pain.

Drug abusers use the drugs to escape their realities.

Those who live with chronic pain use the drugs to participate in reality.

Not everyone fits in the new CDC guidelines for prescription pain medication. Not everyone is a junkie looking to get high.

I have family caught up in this diaster, and it really pisses me off.

a reply to: BREWSE

Thank God MJ is still illegal.

a reply to: BREWSE

I feel for those in your situation. Have had patients that have been with me for a while who need to be on meds for chronic pain, that have had their doctors quit writing meds for their pain management for fear of the DEA or other agencies taking action against them.

They refer these patients to pain clinics, and have been told some of these places are just awful (there may be some ok ones, but most of the stories I hear are negative). They treat the patients like sh*t, like addicts, change the meds that have been working for them for years.

The real drug dealers.. Most people just turn a blind eye.

But let a guy on the street sell some pills to a very WILLING customer and he is branded a drug dealer and people think he deserves to die.

Drs and big Pharma are pushing heroin for billions of dollars . Street guy gets 20 years for a few hundred dollars worth annd labeled the bad guy for getting people hooked.

a reply to: annoyedpharmacist

I had a friend who was on methadone for pain from back cancer. He had to go to the pain clinic every 90 days to be evaluated. More $$$ flowing into the medical system with zero added value.

The medical system is a mess and the step taken to correct this particular mess punishes honest patients not criminals or suppliers.

Big Pharma, and failed War on Drugs benefit. Gotta hook the middle class on heroin somehow. When the Drs. cut them dry from the opioids they seek it from the streets often leading to the hard drugs. Can see even more cities and probably states, etc. suing these companies.

originally posted by: dreamingawake
Big Pharma, and failed War on Drugs benefit. Gotta hook the middle class on heroin somehow. When the Drs. cut them dry from the opioids they seek it from the streets often leading to the hard drugs. Can see even more cities and probably states, etc. suing these companies.

Ahhhh, this is the reason we are still in Afghanistan------H for the addicted cut off patients that are hooked.

Win win.

I would think the pharmacies place drug orders with the drug companies.
Why would a drug company know the population of the town the pharmacy is in?

That's about 7,200 pills per person.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
I would think the pharmacies place drug orders with the drug companies.
Why would a drug company know the population of the town the pharmacy is in?

We do place the orders, but the limits on quantities of those orders are set by our suppliers. The suppliers are supposed to monitor the pharmacies. The DEA is supposed to monitor the supplier. My supplier, who I probably shouldnt name, got in trouble and had to pay huge fines for allowing pharmacies to order a ton of subutex. The DEA saw it and stepped in and slapped them.

a reply to: seasonal

But the militarized law, courts and prisons all work for the corporations. Prisons are corporations.

a reply to: annoyedpharmacist

Makes sense.
Sounds like the DEA kinda dropped the ball here too if they missed this for ten years.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
I would think the pharmacies place drug orders with the drug companies.
Why would a drug company know the population of the town the pharmacy is in?

THe whole system broke down in this case, all watchers watching the pill counts failed. Wonder why?

But money is there to be made.