U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents from the DEA Diversion Control Program turn up in your office wanting to ask you questions. They announce they have a right to inspect your records without warning. …
Hopefully, this won’t happen to you, but if it does and you are caught off guard, you could end up losing your DEA registration for a couple of years, even if you’ve done nothing wrong.
That’s why the TMA Office of General Counsel, in its free white paper “DEA Investigations” (log-in required), urges physicians to call their practice’s legal counsel immediately after being approached by DEA.
Legal counsel will be able to determine:
- If the investigation is routine or related to a complaint,
- If you should reschedule the search for another day,
- Whether to allow DEA agents to talk to staff without advice of counsel,
- Which records and communication are appropriate for the investigation, and
- If you should sign a form to voluntarily surrender your controlled substances registration.
It does not reflect adversely on you to ask for time to consult with counsel; to reschedule the investigation; and defer making any decisions, if needed, without advice from counsel, the paper says.
Read the white paper for details and for more guidance about how to handle a DEA investigation.
Published April 27, 2017
TMA Practice E-Tips main page
Last Updated On
May 02, 2017
Originally Published On
April 27, 2017