Hackers and fraudsters are gaining access to sensitive drug ordering tools and then advertising some of the most tightly controlled drugs in the country, including fentanyl.
“Tap the fuck in,” a message posted to a large crime-focused Telegram group chat in October read. The user included a photo of a Macbook Pro in a darkened room with a hand hovering above the keyboard. On the screen were blue and white boxes; a dashboard used by doctors and other medical industry professionals to order prescriptions. The panel displayed various pieces of information, such as the prescribing physician, the patient’s required dose, and the patient’s name.
In the middle of the screen read the text “oxyCODONE (oxyCODONE 5 mg oral tablet).”
404 Media has uncovered a wide-spanning scheme in which criminals break into various panels used by doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and even wholesale narcotics providers, and then leverage that access to order controlled substances like oxycodone. Some of the hackers then appear to sell these substances for profit online. Because the hackers are using legitimate ordering tools designed for industry professionals, when a prescription request lands at a pharmacy, it can look as legitimate as any other.
I heard about this last weekend when one of my prescriptions had to be written on paper because it’s a controlled substance. The normal stuff can still be sent electronically, but any controlled drug is being done manually right now.
Just right now? As of December I was still having controlled meds sent electronically. Did that change since or is it still state by state?
I literally picked up class 2 (dextroamphet tablets) yesterday it was sent electronically through the escribe system as it has been monthly since covid. Before covid it was paper only which being monthly is annoying for sure but they just kept the covid measure to allow those to be escribed. My doctor did say for those class 2s like vyvanse adderall etc she can’t call it in it has to be through the escribe system whereas regular prescription drugs can be called in, sent electronically, or paper etc.
Are regulators so delusional they believe forcing patients who already take controlled meds needing monthly doctor-ordered refills each time to switch back to the fucking paper would benefit anyone in any way. I take dextroamphetamine sulfate rather than adderall it’s similar but I prefer it less side effects but anyway it usually needs to be ordered and I call ahead of time as any doctors office will tell you to do so literally every month I would be driving to my doctors office to pick up the piece of paper then driving to the pharmacy to drop off the piece of paper and then possibly driving back home to wait another day or so until I can drive back to the pharmacy to actually pick up the medication or even if it’s in stock the pharmacy is perpetually busy so I sit and wait for the fill there. Anyway I’m rambling but yeah it’s fucking stupid
I didn’t consider existing orders vs a one time prescription making a difference in my case. It also could just be my provider and others in my area - my friend who goes through another hospital system here for scheduled drugs has had to go through paper prescriptions if there wasn’t already a refill on record.
I guess each system is handling it the way they see fit.
That would make sense. I believe you have to enroll the patient into the efill system which makes sense when it’ll be done often, but for a one-off, may as well save the paperwork and write it on a script pad.
Well I had this same medicine sent over electronically a couple months prior. The doctor I saw told me this was the reason they would only give me a paper script this time around.
I’m a little confused, I take Adderall which is class 2 like yours as you said, and mine is sent electronically.
Yeah mine is sent electronically too. Sorry if I wasn’t clear I sorta rambled lol. I’ve taken adderall years ago and had to use paper prescription but since covid they changed it to electronic allowed. I hope that stays
This could just have been a policy that my provider put in place. This was also a one time order following a hospital stay which might make a difference.
Ah yeah the whole thing is complex. Some doctors still only do physical scripts for controlled rx. Only some states allow escribe I believe. But I have a friend who is also prescribed Adderall, and his doctor prescribes 3 months at a time, not sure how. May just send over scripts dated current date, +1 month, +2 months.
I had it done electronically a couple months beforehand. The doctor told me this is why their policy at the time was to write controlled drugs on paper for the time being.
That’s what I wondered. I bet it’s related to what’s being spoken about in the article. Thank you
I don’t think these two are related.
Change Healthcare (company who handles most electronic prescription platforms) had a ransomware attack a couple weeks ago that took down their entire infrastructure for multiple days.
Doctors and pharmacies were likely using paper scripts because the entire electronic prescription platform was shutdown.
https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2024/03/05/hhs-statement-regarding-the-cyberattack-on-change-healthcare.html
I had 7 prescriptions sent over at once and got one on paper. The doctor told me this was the reason that the one controlled substance was given to me on paper.
Also I had been given this need electronically once before a couple months prior.