New Policing Role for Pharmacists Undermines Partnership with Prescribers

As physicians who treat pain, we know firsthand the battles our patients face in gaining access to appropriate treatment, which, when other less aggressive options will not suffice, includes opioids. The ongoing battle gained a new front recently when Walgreens pharmacy chain changed its procedures regarding the processing of prescriptions for controlled substances [1]. The new policy directs its pharmacists, at the point of dispensing, to contact prescribers for such detailed medical information as diagnoses, International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision codes, patient treatment plans, expected length of therapy, and previously tried medications. This policy has raised concerns for prescribers of pain medications that such demands [2,3]: The leaders of the American Academy of Pain Medicine share these concerns. The pharmacist does not have access to the medical record and may not possess specific knowledge about the practice of pain medicine. It is not within …