report to a doctor that a patient is abusing prescription drugs

by Ms. Jailyn Barrows II 8 min read

How to Report Someone Abusing Prescription Drugs

35 hours ago This isn’t done all the time, though. If you want to report someone who is abusing prescription drugs, you can make a call to the prescribing doctor. Submitting this complaint may encourage the doctor to run a drug test or to wean that patient … >> Go To The Portal


If you want to report someone who is abusing prescription drugs, you can make a call to the prescribing doctor. Submitting this complaint may encourage the doctor to run a drug test or to wean that patient off from the prescription. Contacting the Pharmacy

Full Answer

How do I report prescription drug abuse?

If you want to report someone who is abusing prescription drugs, you can make a call to the prescribing doctor. Submitting this complaint may encourage the doctor to run a drug test or to wean that patient off from the prescription.

Are you asking your doctor about the drugs they prescribe?

The average American is inundated by pharmaceutical commercials 24/7 and patients are increasingly “Asking their doctor…” about a range of drugs.Pharmaceuticals are big (very big) business; doctors are continually lobbied to add new drugs to their prescription pad regimen, regardless of their proven effectiveness or safety.

What are the effects of abusing prescription drugs?

Abusing prescription drugs can cause a number of problems. Prescription drugs can be especially dangerous — and even lead to death — when taken in high doses, when combined with other prescription drugs or certain over-the-counter medications, or when taken with alcohol or illegal or recreational drugs.

What is prescription drug abuse?

Prescription drug abuse. Overview. Prescription drug abuse is the use of a prescription medication in a way not intended by the prescribing doctor. Prescription drug abuse or problematic use includes everything from taking a friend's prescription painkiller for your backache to snorting or injecting ground-up pills to get high.

What is considered abuse of prescription drugs?

Prescription drug abuse is the use of a prescription medication in a way not intended by the prescribing doctor. Prescription drug abuse or problematic use includes everything from taking a friend's prescription painkiller for your backache to snorting or injecting ground-up pills to get high.

What are three 3 examples of medication abuse?

Which Drugs Are Abused?Opioids. Examples: oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), and meperidine (Demerol) Medical uses: Opioids are used to treat pain or relieve coughs or diarrhea. ... Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants. Examples: phenobarbital (Luminal), diazepam (Valium), and alprazolam (Xanax) ... Stimulants.

What can be done to reduce prescription medication abuse?

never stopping or changing a dosing regimen without first discussing it with the doctor. never using another person's prescription and never giving their prescription medications to others. storing prescription stimulants, sedatives, and opioids safely.

What happens when medication misused?

People who misuse drugs may present with a range of health and social problems other than dependence, which may include (particularly with opioid users): physical health problems (for example, thrombosis, abscesses, overdose, hepatitis B and C, HIV, and respiratory and cardiac problems)

What is the difference between drug abuse and substance abuse?

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, addiction differs from substance abuse in that it is a chronic disease that is incredibly difficult to control. Abuse of certain substances, such as alcohol or prescription drugs, can cause chemical changes in the brain that lead to addiction.

What is the difference between drug abuse and misuse?

An example of drug misuse is when a person who can't fall asleep after taking a single sleeping pill takes another pill an hour later hoping that “it'll do the job.” However, it's drug abuse when a person consumes sleeping pills to manage their moods or acquire a “buzz,” or — in worst-case scenarios — to commit suicide ...

What is the role of pharmacist in drug abuse and misuse?

Health-system pharmacists are responsible for ensuring a safe and effective medication-use system, including legal and organizational re- sponsibilities for medication distribution and control across the continuum of practice settings within healthcare organiza- tions.

How do doctors track prescriptions?

A prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) is an electronic database that tracks controlled substance prescriptions in a state. PDMPs can provide health authorities timely information about prescribing and patient behaviors that contribute to the epidemic and facilitate a nimble and targeted response.

What is the strongest pain medication?

Vivien Williams: Fentanyl is a powerful painkiller. Mike Hooten, M.D. (Anethesiology, Mayo Clinic): It is many, many times more potent than morphine, oxycodone, oxycontin, Vicadin, dilaudid, hydromorphine, all these types of drugs.

What is prescription drug abuse?

Overview. Prescription drug abuse is the use of a prescription medication in a way not intended by the prescribing doctor. Prescription drug abuse or problematic use includes everything from taking a friend's prescription painkiller for your backache to snorting or injecting ground-up pills to get high.

What are the risk factors for prescription drug abuse?

Risk factors for prescription drug abuse include: Past or present addictions to other substances, including alcohol and tobacco. Family history of substance abuse problems. Certain pre-existing psychiatric conditions.

Why do prescription drugs cause addiction?

Because commonly abused prescription drugs activate the brain's reward center, it's possible to develop physical dependence and addiction.

What are the most common drugs that teens abuse?

The prescription drugs most often abused include opioid painkillers, anti-anxiety medications, sedatives and stimulants.

What are the pre-existing conditions of psychiatric patients?

Certain pre-existing psychiatric conditions. Exposure to peer pressure or a social environment where there's drug use. Easier access to prescription drugs, such as having prescription medications in the home medicine cabinet. Lack of knowledge about prescription drugs and their potential harm.

How to prevent accidental overdose?

Keep your prescription drugs safe. Keep track of drug quantities and keep them in a locked medicine cabinet. Make sure your child isn't ordering drugs online.

Why are older adults at risk of drug abuse?

Having multiple health problems and taking multiple drugs can put seniors at risk of misusing drugs or becoming addicted.

NOTE: If you witness an event that may lead to immediate threat to human health or safety, you should report it to your local police or law enforcement authority

Use the links below to report what appears to you as a possible violation of controlled substances laws and regulations. Violations including unlawful purchasing of prescription drugs over the Internet, illegal prescription drug sales, illicit drug distribution or extortion scams.

Illicit Drug Distribution or Trafficking

Report illegal sales/distribution of drugs other than prescription drugs (i.e., heroin, cocaine, etc.)

Report Suspicious Online Pharmacies

Report Suspected Unlawful Sales of Pharmaceutical Drugs on the Internet

RX Abuse Online Reporting

Report illegal sales/distribution of prescription drugs (i.e., oxycodone, hydrocodone, etc.); doctors and pharmacies

Synthetic Drug Online Reporting

Report an incident with Synthetic Drugs (i.e., Green Giant, Joker, N-Bomb, Flakka, etc.)

What is improper care?

Improper care or unsafe conditions. You may have a complaint about improper care (like claims of abuse to a nursing home resident) or unsafe conditions (like water damage or fire safety concerns). To file a complaint about improper care or unsafe conditions in a hospital, home health agency, hospice, or nursing home, ...

How to file an appeal with Medicare?

For questions about a specific service you got, look at your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) or log into your secure Medicare account . You can file an appeal if you disagree with a coverage or payment decision made by one of these: 1 Medicare 2 Your Medicare health plan 3 Your Medicare drug plan

What to do if you know you have a substance use problem?

If you know you have a substance use problem, it’s time to talk to your doctor, even if the drug (s) you’re using are illegal. The point of talking to your doctor is to seek and obtain the kind of treatment that will help you stop abusing drugs and end your addiction. Your doctor can help you find the right treatment.

What is the biggest fear you have when you admit to a drug test?

The biggest fear people face when just thinking about admitting substance use to their doctor is consequences. Discomfort grows when a person is using an illegal substance. The biggest fear is being reported to the authorities. Thanks to doctor-patient confidentiality, this fear is often only as big as you make it. A doctor cannot discuss the information you share in confidence, and if they do, you can take legal recourse, even when admitting something like heroin or cocaine use.

What is the doctor-patient privilege?

It’s a Legal Concept: The doctor-patient privilege is a nationally recognized legal concept. It protects what a patient and their doctor discuss from being used against the patient in a court of law , even if the patient confesses to a crime.

What is the oath of a doctor?

The oath serves as a sort of moral guide , and medical practitioners must abide by a code of ethics. While doctor’s view patient-physician confidentiality as a fundamental tenet of their code of ethics, they are bound to abide by it within the constraints of the law. Harm Must be Reported: By law and ethics, a doctor must report severe bodily injury.

Can a doctor help with substance abuse?

Your doctor can help you find the right treatment. Your options are not limited, and your physician can connect you with professionals and community resources dedicated to supporting you. From substance abuse counseling programs to prescription support, there have never been more evidence-based options for treating substance abuse and addiction.

Can you talk to your doctor about illegal substance use?

If you choose to talk to your doctor about illegal substance use, you can , in most cases, rest assured that your conversation will remain confidential. You can read up on physician-patient privilege at Wikipedia, but here are the important highlights:

Should substance abuse and medical insurance stop you from getting help?

Should the relationship between substance abuse, addiction, and medical insurance stop you from getting help? No, but it might be something you’ll need to consider based on your circumstances before proceeding cautiously. Medical science has clearly identified substance use disorders as viable medical conditions that are, for many, as unavoidable as diabetes or cancer. Could the manner in which these are treated by insurance companies change in the future? Perhaps, but until then, you’ll need to decide on what’s best for you.

How much did the number of people taking prescription drugs increase between 2007 and 2010?

According to CDC data, the percent of people taking at least one prescription drug increased by 50 percent between the years of 2007 and 2010. According to CDC data, the percent of people taking at least one prescription drug increased by 50 percent between the years of 2007 and 2010. And researchers from the Mayo Clinic, ...

Why are doctors being criticized?

Along with drug cascading, doctors are also being criticized for succumbing to the “business” of healthcare rather than the practice. In other words, they increasingly represent a professional front for the billion-dollar drug industry instead of focusing on wellness.

How much money do drug companies spend on drug promotions?

In fact, reports show drug-makers spend roughly 15 billion dollars each year on U.S. drug promotions alone. Although it’s easy to blame big pharma for the opiate epidemic, they’re still businesses with shareholders. When it comes down to it, their bottom lines will always take precedent over patient health.

Is overprescribing medication rampant?

The problem of overprescribing medication is rampant in America and pharmaceutical drug overdoses are now one of the leading causes of death in the nation.

Do prescription pads replace therapeutic doctors?

Many would argue that prescription pads have almost replaced the roles of therapeutic doctors. It’s as if healing and sobriety are no longer factors.

Can systemic processes lead to overprescribing?

While we value convenience and easy fixes, systemic processes can also lead to overprescribing. Although prescription drugs are necessary and lifesaving in many circumstances, the correlation between prescription drugs and prescription drug addiction is undeniable. And the adverse effects are becoming increasingly apparent.

Is pharmaceuticals a big business?

The average American is inundated by pharmaceutical commercials 24/7 and patients are increasingly “Asking their doctor…” about a range of drugs.Pharmaceuticals are big (very big) business; doctors are continually lobbied to add new drugs to their prescription pad regimen, regardless of their proven effectiveness or safety.

Overview

  • One of the ways you can report someone who is abusing prescription drugs is by contacting the DEA. The DEA has a tip hotlinewhere you can let them know if someone is abusing prescription drugs. It can be tough to call the DEA on a loved one or friend. However, if they are abusing pres…
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Symptoms

Causes

Risk Factors

  • Prescription drug abuse is the use of a prescription medication in a way not intended by the prescribing doctor. Prescription drug abuse or problematic use includes everything from taking a friend's prescription painkiller for your backache to snorting or injecting ground-up pills to get high. Drug abuse may become ongoing and compulsive, despite the negative consequences. An …
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Complications

  • Signs and symptoms of prescription drug abuse depend on the specific drug. Because of their mind-altering properties, the most commonly abused prescription drugs are: 1. Opioidsused to treat pain, for example medications containing oxycodone — such as Oxycontin and Percocet — and those containing hydrocodone — such as Norco 2. Anti-anxiety medications and sedatives, …
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Prevention

  • Teens and adults abuse prescription drugs for many reasons, such as: 1. To feel good or get high 2. To relax or relieve tension 3. To reduce appetite or increase alertness 4. To experiment with the mental effects of the substance 5. To maintain an addiction and prevent withdrawal 6. To be accepted by peers or to be social 7. To try to improve concentration and academic or work perfo…
See more on mayoclinic.org