CONWAY, AR — The search is on for a medical impostor Conway Police say is posing as a nurse, calling Arkansas pharmacies and prescribing themselves prescription drugs.
According to the police report, a doctor in North Little Rock called authorities after someone had stolen her DEA number, which is used to prescribe drugs, and used it four days straight to prescribe themselves prescription drugs like Xanax and hydrocodone.
One pharmacist in Little Rock said information needed to prescribe controlled drugs is critical.
“They probably had knowledge of that or experience with that and they knew what would be required for creating one of those forgeries,” Bloodworth said.
Bloodworth says whoever is on the other line, posing as a nurse, probably tried to duplicate legitimate prescriptions from a legitimate prescriber, and had access to certain numbers required to prescribe medication.
“Anything you steal in life by misuse of medication, you have to pay back sooner or later,” Bloodworth says.
The Walgreens pharmacy off Oak Street in Conway was the latest target. Police say a person posed as “Nurse Jennifer” from a legitimate doctors office in North Little Rock and called in a prescription for Xanax and Hydrocodone.
“It’s obvious that abuse is very prevalent and very common in this country which is unfortunate,” Bloodworth says.
On the phone, John Kirtley with the Arkansas Board of Pharmacy explained how a Prescription Monitoring Program is helping prevent these drugs from getting in the wrong hand.
“It allows pharmacies to actually verify if the patient has been getting prescriptions multiple times for the same quantities and drugs or types of drugs,” he said.
At the same time, the program allows pharmacists like Bloodworth see which physicians have been filling prescriptions under their name.
“I haven’t had too many cases of someone in the office forging a prescription for themselves, but I have to tell you over the years of practicing pharmacy, I’ve caught some. It’s unfortunate. You hate it an it’s also a signal someone is desperate,” Bloodworth says.
Conway Police confirms the investigation is ongoing and don’t have any suspects at this time.
According to the police report, a doctor in North Little Rock called authorities after someone had stolen her DEA number, which is used to prescribe drugs, and used it four days straight to prescribe themselves prescription drugs like Xanax and hydrocodone.
One pharmacist in Little Rock said information needed to prescribe controlled drugs is critical.
“They probably had knowledge of that or experience with that and they knew what would be required for creating one of those forgeries,” Bloodworth said.
Bloodworth says whoever is on the other line, posing as a nurse, probably tried to duplicate legitimate prescriptions from a legitimate prescriber, and had access to certain numbers required to prescribe medication.
“Anything you steal in life by misuse of medication, you have to pay back sooner or later,” Bloodworth says.
The Walgreens pharmacy off Oak Street in Conway was the latest target. Police say a person posed as “Nurse Jennifer” from a legitimate doctors office in North Little Rock and called in a prescription for Xanax and Hydrocodone.
“It’s obvious that abuse is very prevalent and very common in this country which is unfortunate,” Bloodworth says.
On the phone, John Kirtley with the Arkansas Board of Pharmacy explained how a Prescription Monitoring Program is helping prevent these drugs from getting in the wrong hand.
“It allows pharmacies to actually verify if the patient has been getting prescriptions multiple times for the same quantities and drugs or types of drugs,” he said.
At the same time, the program allows pharmacists like Bloodworth see which physicians have been filling prescriptions under their name.
“I haven’t had too many cases of someone in the office forging a prescription for themselves, but I have to tell you over the years of practicing pharmacy, I’ve caught some. It’s unfortunate. You hate it an it’s also a signal someone is desperate,” Bloodworth says.
Conway Police confirms the investigation is ongoing and don’t have any suspects at this time.