Prescription Fraud

Maine has recently become painfully aware of the devastation that prescription fraud can cause. Abuse of OxyContin and other drugs has propelled the state to the forefront of the fight against prescription drug abuse and fraud.

Maine Laws Regarding Prescription Fraud

17-A MRSA 45 §1108. Acquiring drugs by deception

“A person is guilty of acquiring drugs by deception if, as a result of deception, the person obtains or exercises control over a prescription for a scheduled drug or what the person knows or believes to be a scheduled drug, which is in fact a scheduled drug.”

Types of Fraudulent Prescriptions

• Legitimate prescription pads are stolen from a doctor’s office and written for fictitious patients
• Patients will alter a legitimate prescription to obtain a larger quantity
• Some drug users will have prescription pads from a legitimate doctor printed with a different call back number- their own or an accomplice’s.
• Computers may be used to create prescriptions from fictitious doctors or to copy a prescription from a legitimate doctor.

Warining Signs

• Be cautious if the prescriber writes a significantly larger amount of prescriptions for a drug than most other providers in the area. He may not exist, or he may be supplying prescriptions for non-medical reasons.
• Take note if the patient returns too frequently: returning every week or more to fill a prescription that should have lasted a month.
• Be aware of sudden increases in amounts dispensed. If a customer routinely receives 10 dosages and suddenly appears with a prescription for 40, carefully examine the written amount for differences in handwriting or ink color.
• Note if a prescriber writes prescriptions for drugs that are antagonistic, such as depressants and stimulants. Drug abusers will often write fraudulent prescriptions for uppers and downers simultaneously.
• Use caution if the patient appears bearing prescriptions written for other people.
  A number of people appear within a short period of time with similar prescriptions from the same provider may be evidence of a fraudulent provider.
• If you suddenly have numerous “stranger” patients- patients who do not regularly fill prescriptions at your pharmacy or do not live in town- appear with prescriptions from the same provider, be suspicious.

Also use caution if:

• The prescription looks “too good”- the handwriting is too neat or legible.
• Quantities, directions or dosages differ from the usual usage
• The prescription looks photocopied. Many prescription pads now have a security measure that makes the word “VOID” appear if the prescription has been photocopied.
• The directions are written out fully, with no standard abbreviations or abbreviations that are not typical.
• The prescription is written in different handwriting than the signature, or in different color ink