Global Insight Perspective | |
Significance | The DEA's proposal is expected to cover drugs listed under Schedules II, IV and V, bringing in painkillers, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and panic disorder drugs. |
Implications | If approved, the proposal will widen the scope of e-prescriptions and spark greater potential uptake of the practice, even as the U.S. Congress is poised to consider a bill on providing incentives for e-prescription usage. |
Outlook | The proposal in conjunction with the bill will boost the usage of health information technologies in the health system, including reimbursement data. However, there is concern over whether the DEA will adequately be able to curb drug abuse practices, which are on the rise. |
E-Prescriptions Proposal
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is expected to unveil a new proposal that would extend the current e-prescription limits. The Wall Street Journal reports that the proposal includes various controlled substances classified under Schedules II, IV and V of the Controlled Substances Act. The source quotes Rogene Waite of the DEA as confirming the initiation of the proposal and commenting: "We're close to publication at this point.'' Furthermore, the source provides some details of the legislation, noting that the inclusion of controlled substances would account for up to 13% of the overall annual U.S. prescriptions. The drugs outlined in the proposal include:
- Schedule II: hallucinogen substances (nabilone), anti-depressants (amobarbital, glutethimide, pentobarbital, phencyclidine, secobarbital), stimulants (amphetamines, methamphetamine, phenmetrazine, methylphenidate), and opiates (codeine, dihydroetorphine, morphine, oxycodone).
- Schedule IV: narcotics (dextropropoxyphene), depressants (alprazolam, diazepam, clorazepate, ethinamate, zoldipem, zaleplon), fenfluramine, and stimulants (modafinil, phentermine, pipradrol, sibutramine).
- Schedule V: stimulants (pyrovalerone) and narcotics.
Source: Drug Enforcement Administration website
The source notes that the proposal is expected to be published in the federal register before end of June and would be open to comments from the public for a period of time.
The proposal from the DEA could take a positive turn as the U.S. Congress is considering a bill on improving the uptake of e-prescription by approving an incentivised structure. The structure, according to the Wall Street Journal, would include providing higher Medicare payments for medical professionals using the new technology.
Outlook and Implications
The timing of the proposal seems appropriate given that the current regulatory climate is geared towards encouraging e-prescriptions as a long-term policy. The DEA's initiative in this regard will be viewed with some interest by industry players and medical professionals alike. The proposed legislation would see new technologies included in the system, assisting the process of gathering health information. However, there will be concerns regarding the provision of sufficient security measures to safeguard the system and prevent abuse. Hence, the proposal will undergo scrutiny in order to evaluate the security measures in place and the DEA's plans to implement the enhanced system. The agency is well aware of prescription drug abuse and the obtaining of illegal drugs, as industry estimates have suggested rises in these activities. The bill to improve e-prescription usage is expected to be green-lighted, as the legislation was one of the most lobbied in recent times. The proposal would benefit the process of collecting health information, creating greater clarity in the healthcare system, particularly detailing prescription patterns and potential reimbursement trends. Legislators may also look at it as a potential means of cutting costs.