10.07.21 – APFA EAP: Fake Prescription Pills

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Fake Prescription Pills

Working in a safety-sensitive job, we are responsible for remaining vigilant over what we ingest. We have put out information warning against the use of CBD and hemp products. We have received another directive that we would like to share. Although we are responsible only for using medication prescribed by a physician, which should be current within six months, some choose to purchase medication outside their authorized pharmacy. It is of the utmost importance that you read and follow the warning shared in this directive.

DEA Public Safety Alert-One Pill Can Kill

U.S. Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 10/05/2021 12:48 PM EDTOn September 27, 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a Public Safety Alert to warn the American public of the alarming increase in fake prescription pills containing fentanyl and meth. These counterfeit pills are easy to purchase, widely available, and often contain deadly doses of fentanyl. DEA warns that pills purchased outside of a licensed pharmacy are illegal, dangerous, and potentially lethal. This alert does not apply to legitimate pharmaceutical medications prescribed by physicians dispensed by pharmacists.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last year more than 93,000 people died of overdoses in the United States, marking the largest number of drug-related deaths ever recorded in a year. Fentanyl, the synthetic opioid most commonly found in counterfeit pills, is the primary driver of this alarming increase in overdose deaths.

To learn more about this significant pubic safety threat, visit the DEA’s web page https://admin.dea.gov/alert/sharp-increase-fake-prescription-pills-containing-fentanyl-and-meth and view the two attachments ‘One Pill Can Kill Press Release’ and the ‘DEA Fact Sheet on Counterfeit Pills’.

We encourage you to please share the press release and the fact sheet with friends, family and members of your community.

• Press Release
• Counterfeit Pill Fact Card

In Solidarity,

Sharon Dunn
APFA National EAP Representative
[email protected]