CVS and Cardinal Health Targeted by the DEA

Friday, February 10, 2012

CVS Asking Judge to Prevent DEA Ban

CVS/pharmacy has asked a federal judge for a temporary restraining order to prevent the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from banning two of its Florida stores in Sanford from selling controlled substances, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The DEA raided the two Sanford CVS stores on February 4, calling the CVS pharmacies on Orlando Drive and West First Street an "imminent danger" to the public. Each location was also served with an immediate suspension order. The measure against these two CVS stores is thought to be the first of its kind against a national pharmacy chain.

According to DEA officials, the average pharmacy in the U.S. ordered about 69,000 oxycodone pills last year. However, the two raided Sanford pharmacies ordered more than 3 million pills during the same time.

CVS filed its motion in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Monday, and. a judge heard arguments Tuesday. CVS said in court that the DEA has not proved these two pharmacies pose an "imminent danger" to the public.

"DEA has not and cannot meet that standard in this case," the CVS filing said. "There is no danger, imminent or otherwise, to the public from the pharmacies' continued dispensing of controlled substances."

According to court records the matter is being taken under advisement.

The actions by the DEA against the CVS stores in Sanford were made about the same time the DEA issued an immediate suspension order against Cardinal Health, a prescription-drug wholesale distributor with a Lakeland facility. The DEA also wanted to ban Cardinal from shipping controlled substances to its customers, but a federal judge blocked that attempt after Cardinal sought a temporary restraining order, just as CVS is doing.

According to the DEA, one of the CVS stores in Sanford is Cardinal Health's top buyer.

The suspension orders filed against the two CVS stores and Cardinal Health are part of the DEA's ongoing efforts to curb Florida's prescription-drug epidemic.
 
To view the actual order granting Cardinal Health's motion for a temporary restraining order click here.
 
If you feel that your pharmacy, pain clinic, or DEA registration has been unfairly targeted, please contact us at (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001.
 
2/10/2012

Comments:

Response to: CVS and Cardinal Health Targeted by the DEA
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Greg Baldwin says:

Dear Sir I take methadone for my back and neck injury, I have been taking this medicine for over 7 years. I see only one Dr and I went to walmart to fill my scripts, but in Feb 2012 Walmart said they will not fill any methadone script any more, so I went to walgreens to fill my scripts now they said they can not fill it because of the DEA. stopping them. Someone has to stop this the Dr says only go to one pharmacy, how can you do this when they can not fill your script so you have to drive over 50 to 100 miles to find a pharymacy that has your meds and they end up not even have your amount , beacuse they say they can only have so many a month. Some one has to stop this If you do not Dr shop and you have proof that you have pain and the medicne works why do we have to go through this every month looking for a pharmcy to fill my script it is not fair. I hope you can do something about this! The people who that DO NOT ABUSE THE SYESTEM should not have to suffer. Remember there is o

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