Prescription Drugs

Federal regulators have filed an administrative complaint against the St. Louis-based pharmacy benefit manager. Patients and pharmacists say the suit could lead to a change in business practices and more affordable drugs.

“Policing Patients” describes the impact of prescription drug monitoring programs on health care systems and professionals, law enforcement and patients with pain management needs.

Pharmacy manufacturers, who are playing defense on similar bills across the country, want Missouri Gov. Mike Parson to veto the legislation because the discounted prescriptions are often sold to patients at full retail price.

Since the early 2000s, health care systems have used technology originally made for law enforcement to combat misuse of prescription meds — yet the opioid epidemic continues to worsen.

A new bill in the Illinois General Assembly would create a board of health care experts that would have the authority to set price limits on prescription medications.

A new Illinois program aims to alleviate a shortage of professionals who work to prevent substance use disorders after 5 straight years of record overdose deaths in the state.

Missouri's prescription drug monitoring database went online this week. Health workers will now need to enter patient information into a statewide database when they dispense opioids and other controlled substances.

Affinia Healthcare is providing more than 200 free Deterra Drug Deactivation and Disposal System pouches at two of its pharmacies. The pouches allow people to safely dispose of prescription drugs at home.

Centene Corp. has agreed to pay Texas $165.6 million to resolve claims that it overcharged the state’s Medicaid program — the biggest known payout by the nation’s largest Medicaid insurer over its drug pricing practices.

Missouri had the 4th highest rate in the country of residents taking benzodiazepines, and that was before the pandemic amped up anxiety.