CVS Stops Filling Controlled Substance Prescriptions From Two Telehealth Firms: Report

CVS Health Corp. CVS has stopped filling prescriptions for controlled substances requested by clinicians from the telehealth startup companies Cerebral Inc. and Done Health.

What Happened: The Wall Street Journal reported the Woonsocket, Rhode Island-based CVS made its decision following an internal review of the two companies, citing concerns regarding excessive prescription orders for patients diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, ADHD medications — which are classified as schedule 2 controlled substances — could only be prescribed through an in-person diagnosis.

With the increased level of telehealth medical services during the pandemic, the federal government relaxed the in-person rule to allow all schedule 2 controlled substances to be prescribed following a telehealth consultation.

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What Happens Next: Cerebral and Done have been the subject of media probes into their respective levels of controlled substance prescriptions, and other pharmacies have already announced they would no longer fill their orders.

Last week, Cerebral announced it would no longer prescribe controlled substances and issued a statement expressing regret over the CVS decision while noting it was “doing everything possible to ensure these patients get access to medications that their healthcare providers have determined they need.” Done has not made a public comment on the CVD decision.

Photo: Arek Socha/Pixabay