Reporting Forged Prescriptions

Retail Pharmacy Technicians spend the majority of their work day interacting with patients. We are the first person the patient sees when they walk up to the pharmacy counter. We get to know our ‘regulars’, and greet them by name with a smile when they come in. We truly love what we do (most of the time), and we believe we can positively impact people’s lives on a daily basis. That’s why it breaks our heart to see a forged prescription.

Prescription drug abuse is a terrible thing. While alcohol is the #1 most abused substance in the United States, pharmaceuticals are running a close second. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 15,000 individuals die annually from prescription drug overdoses involving opioid analgesics. The DEA’s budget for 2015 is $2.88 billion, and they employ over 9,200 men and women, including Special Agents, Diversion Investigators, Intelligence Research Specialists, and Chemists. Clearly, prescription drug abuse is a problem.

Pharmacy technicians are trained to spot forged prescriptions. We know how to look for altered pill counts, false DEA numbers, forged signatures, and fake prescription pads. Most of all, we notice when a certain patient keeps coming in for multiple narcotic refills. And when we notice, we have to report it. It’s not just our job, it’s the law. We’re not being judgmental, or mean, or uncaring. On the contrary, we really do care – a lot!  Reporting a forged prescription could save a life if it means diverting a patient from taking a lethal dose. As one pharmacist told her coworkers after reporting a patient, “Nobody’s going to die on my watch”. (Read the full story here.)

Reporting a forged prescription shouldn’t make you feel like a snitch, or a tattle-tale. It may be a hard thing to do, especially if you know the patient personally. But it’s the Right Thing to do.