New Nevada Law Creates Problems for Doctors who Prescrive Testosterone

[Jinzang]

A Nevada law designed to control the prescription of opioids has the side effect of making the prescription of testosterone more onerous. The new law requires "mountains of paperwork" whenever a scheduled drug is prescribed. Since testosterone in a Schedule 3 drug, it comes under the new law. According to the article:

A state law barely two months old is wreaking havoc for doctors and their pain patients.AB 474 was designed to curb opioid overdoses. The violations carry stiff penalties and something as simple as a clerical error could threaten a physician's license.

"Really, I think that this law, while well intended, it's just has created a mess," Dr. Dan Laird said.

A mess of confusion and controversy. The law has morphed into mountains of paperwork for physicians and pressures for pain patients uncertain if their prescriptions will be honored.

Some patients complain the crackdown has led to pharmacy overreach with some skipping the full amount of pills or refusing to supply them at all.
"They start wondering when I go today is it going to be the good pharmacist or the bad pharmacist? Is it going to be the one who hassles me or the one who fills the prescription? It really causes a lot of suffering for them and worry," Dr. Laird said.

AB474 targets Class 2 drugs, like Adderall, Ritalin, which treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Pain suppressors like hydrocodone, Vicodin, Lortab, oxycodone, Percocet, Demerol, and more. The law also impacts Class 3 and 4 drugs: Ambien, used for insomnia. benzodiazepines, used for anxiety like Xanax and Valium. and testosterone products, like AndroGel.

So, prescribers must take numerous steps before issuing any pain medications, sleeping aids, ADHD, testosterone, and migraine medications. Steps that are time consuming and cumbersome.

Just days after the tighter restrictions went into effect, doctors gave an earful to the state medical board warning them it's gone too far by forcing doctors to become detectives spending more time shuffling papers than taking care of people.

 

[Saul]

My Doctor went on about this during our last visit. He is not happy - at all. Said I may have to visit his office for a paper prescription every refill and was unsure how the pharmacies would handle the change - telling me to be prepared for more hassle. He said he unloaded on a Board member who approved this. Was directed to opioids but as usual the Gov. f'ed it up and covered a bunch of stuff that is not causing a crisis. It does not even address the really issues, which is Dr writing valid scripts when they should not be writing them for pain meds.

 

[Vince Carter]

But hey they (NV) legalized weed, so...

 

[Saul]

The voters did that, not the government. The governments involvement with the medical and recreational implementation has been a mess. But hey, have some bourbon and a cig, that won't hurt you.

 

[Vince Carter]

The voters did that, not the government. The governments involvement with the medical and recreational implementation has been a mess. But hey, have some bourbon and a cig, that won't hurt you.

I dont make the distinction which wasn't the point any way