On January 20, 2020, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released its report Drug Control: Actions Needed to Ensure Usefulness of Data on Suspicious Opioid Orders. The report, mandated by Congress in the SUPPORT Act, focuses almost exclusively on the need for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to beef up its capabilities for analyzing the vast amount of data provided to DEA by registrants. GAO’s investigation revealed, among other things, that DEA conducted “limited proactive and robust analysis of industry reported data” and that DEA did not have the appropriate data governance structure in place to manage drug transaction data.
GAO Issues Another Report Involving DEA
On July 27, 2015, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report titled, Prescription Drugs: More DEA Information about Registrants’ Controlled Substances Roles Could Improve Their Understanding and Help Ensure Access. GAO’s report examined, (1) to what extent registrants interact with DEA about their CSA responsibilities, and registrants’ perspectives on those interactions, (2) how state
Senate Committee Questions DEA on Quota Process
On May 5, 2015, the United States Senate, Caucus on International Narcotics Control held a hearing exploring the findings and recommendations of a Government Accountability Office investigation into the Drug Enforcement Administration’s management of its quota process. The hearing, called by Senators Grassley and Feinstein, sought to explore the connection between DEA’s quota process and
GAO Report Criticizes DEA Quota Process
On March 4, 2015, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report titled, Drug Shortages: Better Management of the Quota Process for Controlled Substances Needed; Coordination between DEA and FDA Should Be Improved. GAO’s report examined, (1) the trends in such shortages, (2) the effect on patients and providers, (3) DEA’s administration of the quota