The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs has received multiple allegations of Michigan physicians inappropriately prescribing hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine to themselves, family, friends, and/or coworkers without a legitimate medical purpose.
Sounds to me doctors were prescribing drugs to their friends and families who are not currently showing symptoms, i.e "without a legitimate medical purpose."
Prescribing hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine without further proof of efficacy for treating COVID-19 or with the intent to stockpile the drug may create a shortage for patients with lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or other ailments for which chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are proven treatments. Reports of this conduct will be evaluated and may be further investigated for administrative action.
Prescribing to people without a documented need for the treatment (people with no respiratory symptoms and/or who test negative for COVID-19 or existing conditions such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, etc,) is not allowed.
Prescribing any kind of prescription must also be associated with medical documentation showing proof of the medical necessity and medical condition for which the patient is being treated. Again, these are drugs that have not been proven scientifically or medically to treat COVID-19.
Those doctors in hospitals working with COVID-19 patients are administering hydroxychloroquine on site. They're not writing prescriptions.
And if they need to issue prescriptions, they would issue a prescription based on current CDC guidelines as follows, and include that in their prescription documentation-
For those who have lupus or rheumatoid arthritis or other existing conditions where hydroxychloroquine is a known treatment, that valid reason will need to be indicated in the prescription as well.
It's simply meant to prevent stockpiling for black market resale or issuing prescriptions to families/friends who aren't COVID-19 positive which then prevents a patient with a lupus or rheumatoid arthritis from getting their meds.
I would hope this is what it would mean. That third quote leaves a LOT of ambiquity. Saying you can only prescribe it if it is a medical necessity or for the medical condition the patient has, but also saying that the drug isn't proven to treat China Flu could easily lead to doctors who prescribed it for an individual positive for China Flu getting fucked over by the governer.
Don't forget this letter is addressed to Licensed Prescribers & Dispensers, and not the general public.
They understand what the language means. It means cover your ass and make sure you have a documented reason for prescribing this that passes the sniff test.
Sounds to me doctors were prescribing drugs to their friends and families who are not currently showing symptoms, i.e "without a legitimate medical purpose."
Prescribing to people without a documented need for the treatment (people with no respiratory symptoms and/or who test negative for COVID-19 or existing conditions such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, etc,) is not allowed.
Those doctors in hospitals working with COVID-19 patients are administering hydroxychloroquine on site. They're not writing prescriptions.
And if they need to issue prescriptions, they would issue a prescription based on current CDC guidelines as follows, and include that in their prescription documentation-
"400mg BID on day one, then daily for 5 days; 400 mg BID on day one, then 200mg BID for 4 days; 600 mg BID on day one, then 400mg daily on days 2-5." https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/therapeutic-options.html
For those who have lupus or rheumatoid arthritis or other existing conditions where hydroxychloroquine is a known treatment, that valid reason will need to be indicated in the prescription as well.
It's simply meant to prevent stockpiling for black market resale or issuing prescriptions to families/friends who aren't COVID-19 positive which then prevents a patient with a lupus or rheumatoid arthritis from getting their meds.
This is all it means.
I would hope this is what it would mean. That third quote leaves a LOT of ambiquity. Saying you can only prescribe it if it is a medical necessity or for the medical condition the patient has, but also saying that the drug isn't proven to treat China Flu could easily lead to doctors who prescribed it for an individual positive for China Flu getting fucked over by the governer.
Don't forget this letter is addressed to Licensed Prescribers & Dispensers, and not the general public.
They understand what the language means. It means cover your ass and make sure you have a documented reason for prescribing this that passes the sniff test.