What can you do if someone steals your medication?

Pharmacists (and their employers) are required to report losses of any controlled substances. If you try to obtain a new prescription because of medication theft, some pharmacists may require a police report, especially when it comes to medications that have dispensing monitoring or requirements.

What happens if someone steals your pain meds?

If Your Drugs Are Stolen For you, it could mean going a few weeks without painkillers. Most healthcare providers will not refill narcotics prescriptions early, even if you have a police report of a theft. That might seem horrible to you, but it’s for good reason.

What happens if you take medication that’s not yours?

If you take drugs not prescribed to you and have an unexpected serious reaction, no one will know what you took, which can delay treatment. Using someone else’s prescription drug can lead to overdose and increase your risk of prescription drug use disorder.

What would you do if you suspected that a family member was stealing from the patient’s medication?

And when you or your staff suspect patients of attempting to obtain medications for non-therapeutic purposes or trying to steal prescription pads, notify the local police.

Should I report stolen medication?

Upon discovery of a theft or significant loss of controlled substances, a pharmacy must report the loss in writing to the area Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) field office on DEA Form 106 (FIGURE 1) either electronically or manually within one business day.

Can pharmacists steal medication?

Among the largest number of cases are the ones where pharmacy employees steal drugs. It’s not a problem unique to Maine: The US Drug Enforcement Administration says that for the last three years, “employee pilferage” has constituted the largest single percentage of pharmacy thefts nationwide – 46 percent vs.

Is it illegal to steal someone’s medication?

Misdemeanor grand theft carries up to one year in jail and/or $1,000 fine. Felony grand theft carries up to three years in jail, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. Possession of a controlled substance (HS 11350) is a felony. It means possessing an illegal drug or legal drug without a prescription for personal use.

What medicine has opioids in it?

Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine, morphine, and many others.

What happens if you give someone else your medication?

Sharing medication opens the risk of side-effects, but they could also react with any other medication or over-the-counter products that you may be taking. They could be unsuitable for your body, especially if you have health conditions or are pregnant or breastfeeding.

How can you tell if someone is diverting drugs?

Medication diversion is all too common and can be difficult to spot, but look for these signs:

1. Strange stories. Be wary of new patients with stories that don’t seem quite right.
2. Reluctance to cooperate.
3. Unusually high (or low) understanding of medications.
4. Strange symptoms.
5. Specific drug requests.

When a controlled substance is stolen or lost from a pharmacy the nearest DEA office must be notified using which of the following DEA forms?

Form 106
Upon discovery of a theft or significant loss of controlled substances, a pharmacy must report the loss in writing to the area Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) field office on DEA Form 106 (FIGURE 1) either electronically or manually within one business day.