Citation

McCarthy R. American Druggist 1990; 201(4): 64-70.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1990)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

THE DECISION BY A NY STATE COURT TO extend triplicate prescription form requirements to benzodiazepines has had drug manufacturers, physicians and some pharmacists up in arms. The brouhaha began in 1986 when NY Health Commissioner David Axelrod, M.D., citing emergency room statistics linking benzos with accidental overdoses and suicide attempts, sought an extension of the triple-script regulation. Until then, only Schedule II drugs had that requirement. A spokesman for Upjohn, manufacturer of Xanax and Halcion, says that ''triple prescription-form extension will stigmatize those patients on the drugs and will constitute an unwarranted intrusion upon the physician's scope of practice.'' Drugs now covered by the triple-script regulation include such benzos as Valium, Librium, Ativan, Centrax, Dalmane and Restoril. Immediately filing suit to halt the extension were Upjohn, Wyeth and the Medical Society of the State of NY. The suit was decided in favor of triple scripts on the grounds that the Dept. of Health does have the power to regulate all Rx drugs. ''We have several objections to the triplescript extension,'' says Peter Farnsworth, M.D., director of the New York State Medical Society's division of scientific and educational activities. ''We feel that Dr. Axelrod is unfairly equating prescription volume with abuse.'' Dr. Farnsworth doesn't see any proof that benzos are being abused in New York. Out of some 8 million benzodiazepine scripts written in New York over the past year, only 40 cases involve physicians improperly prescribing the drug. And of these 40 cases, he says that many are instances of fraudulent prescriptions by ''pill mills'' where groups of rogue physicians and pharmacists write and fill a benzodiazepine prescription for anyone who can pay. ''But is it fair,'' he asks, ''to penalize every physician for activities of a tiny number?''

Language: en

Keywords

human; drug abuse; article; prescription; benzodiazepine; drug misuse