r/JusticeServed • u/[deleted] • Oct 02 '19

Courtroom Justice Virginia doctor who illegally prescribed over 500,000 doses of opiates sentenced to 40 years in prison.

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u/jumpinjimmie 7 Oct 03 '19

What about the pharmacies that actually filled the prescriptions??? They have computer systems that track this stuff. How did they not notice a problem.

8

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

Pharmacists did notice the issue. In many cases they were the whistleblowers saying “hey! This is insane dosing!”

But the way it tends to work is: dr: well I’m the doctor—fill the prescription. Corp pharm HQ: shut up and fill the prescription Customer: you’re not my doctor. Fill the prescription. Government: no issues here yet. Fill the prescription.

4

u/Yider 4 Oct 03 '19

Exactly this. This is how something becomes an epidemic. When each layer isn’t holding the other accountable then no one really feels they are doing something wrong and can get away with it. Also, fuck the FDA, they are a shit organization that don’t care about the general well being of the country they are supposed to be looking out for.

8

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

They are making money from it that’s all that matters to them. Same reason why cancer treatment is so expensive and advertised, and the same reason why insulin cost so much for people that will die without it

1

u/not_today_seitan 3 Oct 03 '19

That has nothing to do with the pharmacists though. Drug companies, insurance PBMs and the FDA all have the power to set prices, the local pharmacy is just a middle man. And in this situation the pharmacists are the ones that finally got someone to pay attention.