Pubdate: Wed, 10 Sep 2008
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2008 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Author: Kelly Sinoski, and Jonathan Fowlie,  Canwest News Service

CRITICS CALL FOR ACTION ON DRUG KICKBACKS

VANCOUVER - Health workers on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside say they 
have complained for years about drug addicts being offered kickbacks 
from pharmacists to fill their methadone prescriptions, a problem 
they say is getting worse.

"We all know about it. The clients know about it, we know about it, 
but it's like it's falling on deaf ears," said Doreen Littlejohn, a 
nurse who works at the Vancouver Native Health Society. "We're trying 
so hard to treat these people and we're being undermined by poor 
pharmacy practices. I really think the province has to look at this issue.

"It's all about money and it's not about health. I find it morally repugnant."

Methadone is given to addicts as a substitute for heroin. The cost is 
covered by the provincial drug plan, Pharmacare.

George Abbott, the provincial Health Minister, said Monday that 
officials are investigating the allegations. "We've been trying to 
get to the bottom of it to try and ascertain all the facts and evidence."

Mr. Abbott said the allegation is that methadone users are given a 
small amount of cash so they will use a given pharmacy. The addicts 
get an instant payout and the pharmacies get a sustained flow of 
daily business.

But he said such deals are also strictly prohibited under the 
agreement in place between the pharmacies and the province.

The College of Pharmacists of B. C. is also conducting an 
investigation into the charges, said registrar Marshall Moleschi. He 
declined to give further details of the complaints, including what 
pharmacies are implicated.

But Ms. Littlejohn said the problem has worsened in the past six to 
nine months: Pharmacists are now openly soliciting patients to change 
their prescriptions in exchange for between $10 and $40 in cash.

This puts pressure on the clients to get the prescriptions, she said.

Some take other drugs to make it look like they need methadone when 
they do not.

"They want to be on it to gather the kickback and take the methadone 
and sell it," Ms. Littlejohn said.

The dispensing of methadone for Pharmacare patients is a big business 
in B. C., worth $27-million a year in fees.

Pharmacies are given an $8.60 fee to dispense a daily dose of 
methadone, and an extra $7.70 to supervise the patients while they 
take the dose.

Adrian Dix, the NDP health critic, called the situation "completely 
outrageous and unacceptable," and questioned why it has taken so long 
for the government and other authorities to respond.

"How many fees have been paid out since they were first informed of 
these problems, and what has the government actually done?" he said.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart