U.S. opioid crackdown hampers some patients' access to psychiatric drugs [View all]

WASHINGTON, Dec 12 (Reuters) - A crackdown by U.S. drug wholesalers in response to the opioid crisis is preventing some pharmacists from dispensing a combination of stimulants and sedatives routinely prescribed by psychiatrists to help patients manage conditions like anxiety and ADHD.

The three main U.S. pharmaceutical wholesalers - amerisourceBergen Corp (ABC.N), Cardinal Health Inc (CAH.N) and McKesson Corp (MCK.N) - tightened monitoring of suspicious orders from pharmacies in July as part of a $21 billion nationwide opioid settlement with attorneys general from 46 states, the District of Columbia, and five territories.

Five independent pharmacists in five different U.S. states told Reuters that in recent months they were notified by the wholesalers that they would be cut off from the distribution of all controlled substances after filling prescriptions for psychiatric drugs such as the stimulant Adderall - used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - and anti-anxiety drug Xanax. The pharmacists spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of harming their businesses.

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Matthew Goldenberg, president-elect of the Southern California Psychiatric Society, a chapter of the American Psychiatric Association, said some members had complained that pharmacies were no longer comfortable filling combination prescriptions for controlled substances because of concern they could be blacklisted.

"This is detrimental potentially to many patients who have comorbid anxieties along with ADHD, or sleep issues along with ADHD," he told Reuters. "I think it's a trickle-down effect from the opiates."

The impact on independent pharmacies' prescriptions of psychiatric drugs from the widening crackdown on opioids has not been previously reported. There are just over 19,400 independent pharmacies in the United States, representing just over one-third of all retail pharmacies, according to the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA).

The five pharmacists interviewed by Reuters said wholesalers' bans on supplies of controlled substances threatened the viability of independent pharmacies while letting chains like CVS Health Corp (CVS.N) and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc off the hook.

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-opioid-crackdown-hits-some-patients-access-psychiatric-drugs-2022-12-12/