The DEA increased the restrictions on prescribing hydrocodone combinations, moving them from Schedule III Narcotics to Schedule II in a change that has been in the making for some time. One of the new regulations prevents patients from simply refilling prescriptions and instead requires patients to visit their doctors again in order to get another prescription. Ironically, in many over-prescribing prosecutions the government would point to the fact that doctors did not allow refills and claim this as “proof” that the doctors were just “in it for the money” because they charged for the refill visit. So after previously portraying it as an indicator of drug pushing, the DEA is now requiring doctors to act this way.
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