Comments Needed on Nursing Home Residents' Access to Pain Medication

Recent actions by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) pursuant to the Controlled Substances Act caused delays for providers in several states in obtaining controlled substances prescriptions for residents. We are urging the DEA to recognize the facility nurse as an agent of the prescribing physician and acknowledge chart orders as valid prescriptions. On June 29, the DEA issued a notice requesting feedback on revising existing regulations to give long-term care facility residents timely access to controlled substance medications. The DEA notice specifically requests comments from practitioners, pharmacists, nursing facilities, nurses, residents and families of residents in long-term care. Please send comments to panac_legiscom@yahoo.com  by August 10th.