License

DEA registration applications are receiving increased scrutiny as DEA turns its sights on providers and pharmacies to curtail controlled substance misuse and abuse. Applicants can and should take steps to ensure the registration process moves as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Texas pharmacies are facing increasing scrutiny by the Board of Pharmacy, which is working closely with the DEA and other federal agencies, to investigate regulatory violations and Medicaid claims.

PBM audits may result in collateral consequences, including licensing and disciplinary proceedings. In this case, HLA's experienced defense attorneys successfully convinced the State Board to decline further investigation, effectively resolving the matter at an early stage.

Although DEA has long targeted wholesalers as the "choke-point" for stemming diversion, the Agency has now shifted its focus to downstream physician and pharmacy registrants. Providers who thought they understood DEA risk need to revisit their planning because the enforcement paradigm has changed dramatically.