My son takes Adderall, which is classified as a controlled substance, he’s vacationing with his father in California and hit an unexpected delay. They’re going to be out of meds, and I’m running into a carnival funhouse experience trying to get a pharmacy there to dispense an emergency week’s worth. His prescribing doc here can’t make it happen, the pharmacy chain can’t make it happen, can I fedex some to them?
There’s no national chain near you (Walgreens or whatever) where your son’s doc can phone in a new 1-week prescription, for him to pick up at a location near him?
I would worry that the meds may spend several hours in a hot van, and possibly lose potency or even undergo some chemical change.
Perhaps you could have your doc call your son’s father’s doc (or any doc) in California, to explain the situation. Then the California doc can write the perscription. I believe that’s common practice.
Since it’s a controlled substance, it can’t be called in. Even if it could, apparently there’s a problem with his doc being licensed to practice here, but not there.
Because Michigan’s rules about controlled stuff differ slightly from California’s rules, it’s all fubar. I talked with my insurance carrier about covering a visit to a California doc but it’d have to be a specialist, likely a psychiatrist with a pediatric practice, and trying to get a walk in appointment with Dr.Yellow Pages and get Dr.YP to agree with the diagnosis and script and write one…oy this is not looking expedient. Hell, even doc’s that have seen my son for years disagree about which prescriptions are necessary, my only hope would be getting the new doc to listen to the regular doc by phone and just agree to write the script.
His doc agrees that FedEx might just be the best bet, and FedEx says they often ship medication, all those 1-800 numbers hawking ‘cheaper insulin/contacts/vitamins by mail’ so I figure there can’t be much of a problem with temperature issues.
Doing a breif google for online pharmacies and adderall, it looks like shipping of it is possible. (Please note that online pharmacies are probably illegal, and I wouldn’t reccomend buying from them. I just assume that if they can ship it, so can you.)
Your best bet, however, is to call FedEx and ask them yourself.
Nope. Can’t phone in a prescription for Adderall (Ritalin either, for that matter.) It’s a real trial to get my monthly Ritalin. They’re both fairly tightly controlled.
There’s a reason these meds are controlled, there’s a potential for abuse. Nobody’s saying that your son might be abusing this med, but they do have to watch out for it. The hassles that you have to go through in order to obtain this med are there for your protection, and your son’s. State laws as well as federal laws, govern the distribution and prescription of certain medications.
I am not a pharmacist, nor do I have any ability to legally counsel you regarding prescription medications. However, I can tell you that you need to consult with a qualified prescribing physician very soon regarding this matter.
As far as shipping controlled meds, yes it happens daily. Same with prescribable narcotics. The issue here seems to be with the “unexpected delay” what caused this?
I’ll spare my rant on this subject for now, I like for people to be able to get what they need.
Depending on your PBM, there might be several answers to this OP, so, whom do you pay your premiums to, and what company does your plan use for rx’s?
Then pick up a prescription from her son’s doc, however she normally does it, but have it filled at a non-local branch of a national chain pharmacy?
Not to give a “handy” answer, but why not call 1-800-GOFEDEX and ask someone? It’ll just take two minutes or so.
I had a situation where I was in Malaysia for what was supposed to be a three week business trip. There were unexpected problems which turned it into a six week business trip. That meant that I was going to run out of my thyroid medication.
One of the Admins at work was able to ship some to me via DHL. It wasn’t that big of a deal, there was just some sort of form that needed to be completed first. This was a bit more complicated because it was an international shipment but DHL had a couple of experts to help.
I would be shocked if FedEx hadn’t run into this exact issue before and couldn’t tell you how to do this. It may take a couple calls to the 800 number to get ahold of that expert but they’ll know better than any of us.
Haj
Right, the rules for filling controlled scripts are a bit problematic, given that I’m in Michigan and the boy needing them is in California. There’s no way to physically get the script to a non-local branch, you can’t call it in. In fact, I talked to a pharmacy in Sacramento this morning that said they probably wouldn’t fill a Michigan Doc’s script for Adderall anyway, licensing issues.
Ah dear dnooman I understand and appreciate the controls, and I appreciated even more when Michigan eased the restrictions a bit over a year ago. Gone are the days when the sitter or exhusband misplace a pill bottle and I wind up missing a day of work just to get another script, huzzah!
The unexpected delay? I was expecting my son home Monday night, on Tuesday morning I got a call saying they’d missed the flight but gotten another one for Tuesday night. Last night I get a call that they’ve been quarantined by the CDC for exposure to whooping cough, all of them will have to complete a round of antibiotics and be re-evaluated in a week. Apparently they visited a cousin who’s baby was diagnosed after they’d left, the pediatrician reported all possible exposures to the CDC which alerted the airline, and they enjoyed a moment of high drama at the airport, fun times for all!
I’d planned ahead enough to give them two days wiggle room on his meds, not a weeks worth. Who knew to plan for whooping cough!? Just today I’ve learned from my son’s pediatrician that his immunization has likely run out, but that is normal and wouldn’t require a booster as we apparently only worry about it in babies. What an informative day this is turning out to be!
I spent a bit of time jockeying around on hold with FedEx this morning, no one seemed sure if there were special rules concerning the controlled meds as opposed to regular meds. Since no one could specifically say I can’t ship them, I’m going to figure I can.
I would say go ahead and ship him just enough to get through his extra time… in an original perscription bottle.
What’s the worst that can happen? They won’t get through and he won’t have them. Which is exactly what would happen if you didn’t send them. Even if you found some FedEx rule saying it was prohibited, I would go ahead and do it.
But do you really think Fedex cares what is in each package? If it is screened, I’m sure it is automated and as long as it doesn’t smell like illegal drugs or explosives it will go right through.
That’s the problem. Adderall is an amphetamine - like ‘speed’, so without a prescription, it is illegal.
Why can’t Dad take his son to his doctor in California, explain the issue, have Dad’s doctor contact the doctor in Michigan to confirm the issue and issue the script locally?
That’s correct. that’s why I suggested she send it in the original perscription bottle.
Well, they’re off, I put some comics and magazines in the envelope as well, something to help occupy my son during the extended time. No one blinked an eye, and I fully filled out the label thingy, so now I’m just waiting to hear they’ve received the package.
Dad’s a Michiganian as well, Duckster so we have no affliations with any docs out there.
Thanks everyone for the help, I was a bit discombobulated last night when I first got the call.
Now the dilemma makes sense. :smack:
We have pharm. reps that receive many boxes of controlled substances every week. It’s just part of our accounts with Glaxo or whoever they may work for. However, certain rules apply to these deliveries that make the process a little more strict than a regular package delivery, as you could imagine.
From our website;
*9. Pharmaceuticals. Shipments of over-the-counter and prescription pharmaceuticals will only be accepted when tendered in accordance with applicable local, state and federal laws. The shipper is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws.
Pharmaceutical packages should bear no label, markings or other written notice that a pharmaceutical is contained within. Proper packaging such as cotton or other appropriate packing material should be used in order to protect the contents of the shipment. Signature release is not available for pharmaceutical shipments.*
After reading that, I realize that it offers no solid argument one way or the other. How’s that for an ambiguous answer? Since it’s on its way, I wouldn’t worry.
I’ve had patients do this before. I don’t recall hearing about any problems.
The big thing with Adderal is the fact that it’s a Schedule II controlled substance, and thus under far more restrictions than simple Sched III’s like codiene or hydrocodone.
Just don’t go trying to ship any Schedule I substances anyplace. 
Queen Tonya, does your son ever take drug holidays? I know a number of kids who go off their stimulants over the summer when they’re not in school. Not saying he should, you understand. Just asking.
We used to schedule holidays in, but got out of the habit for whatever reason. I’m sure being quarantined with the non-custodial family he’s rarely with is a grand time to have a drug holiday, somehow I think Dad would disagree though. 