While we are facing less issues in Covid-related prescribing and dispensing, the controversy around ivermectin continues. In my blog post “Risk of dispensing ivermectin,” I stressed the importance of obtaining informed consent prior to dispensing ivermectin.
On the same note, a legal action was filed in Arkansas against a prescriber (among others) for
Cardinal has recently agreed to pay over $13 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act for paying “upfront” discounts to physicians in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.
As the Department of Justice (USAO) explained in its press release:
“The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits pharmaceutical distributors from offering or paying any compensation
Starting February 9, 2022, California pharmacies must submit controlled substance dispensing to CURES through Bamboo Health. The last date to submit data through Atlantic Associates is February 8, 2022. Pharmacies must complete the registration process with Bamboo Health as soon as possible to ensure they are prepared for the switch. Register with Bamboo here.
Keeping accurate records for controlled substances often presents a challenge. The Controlled Substances Act requires every pharmacy to maintain complete and accurate records on a current basis for each controlled substance received, sold, delivered, or otherwise disposed of.
This closed system is supposed to reduce the potential for diversion of controlled substances (“CS”).
But in
I am excited to share with you Mike Koelzer’s podcast, in which we discuss pharmacy audits and investigations. We had a very engaging conversation on the pharmacy industry, DEA investigations, and even some psychology (!).
Listen on YouTube
Listen on Apple Podcast
Listen on Spotify
Enjoy during your commute (it’s over an hour)!
This month, the American Medical Association, American Pharmacist Association, and American Society of Health-System Pharmacists issued a joint release urging prescribers and pharmacists to stop ordering, prescribing, and dispensing ivermectin to prevent or treat Covid-19 outside of clinical trials. The reason for issuing this plea is a 24-fold increase in prescribing and dispensing of ivermectin
In my last post, I covered a recent settlement of $2.75 mil where an LTC pharmacy – AlixaRx – was allegedly improperly filling “emergency” scripts for LTC patients. A part of this settlement also included an allegation that AlixaRx billed Medicare Part D for claims that had already been reimbursed through claims paid to long-term
A national LTC pharmacy – AlixaRx – agreed to pay federal government $2.75 mil to resolve allegations that it improperly dispensed controlled substances at long-term care (LTC) facilities. AlixaRx dispensed prescriptions drugs to LTC patients primary through its on-site automatic dispensing units (ADU). According to the complaint, the pharmacy violated the federal Controlled Substances Act
About eight years ago, I represented Pharmacists Planning Services Inc (“PPSI”) (led by the late Fred Mayer) in front of the Board of Pharmacy regarding medication errors and working conditions of the pharmacists.
Fred was advocating for the reduction of errors due to difficult working conditions of the pharmacists employed by chain drug stores.
In March 2020, the California State Board of Pharmacy issued a “Remote Processing” waiver, which is still in effect today (with some modifications). For the purpose of the waiver – as the Board explained – “remote processing” means the entering of an order or prescription into a computer from outside of the pharmacy or hospital