Government report titles tend to be long and far from eye-catching. However, these reports often reveal eye-popping information, especially when it concerns the Trump administration.
One prime example of this is a new report from the Department of Defence Inspector General (IG) regarding pill-popping at the White House, showcasing a plethora of ethical as well as criminal violations.
The report, “Evaluation of the DoD Internal Controls Related to Patient Eligibility and Pharmaceutical Management Within the National Capital Region Executive Medicine Services,” details how the White House Medical Unit ran a pharmacy eager to dispense medication, including controlled substances to staff members. Prompted by complaints, the IG reviewed records from 2017 through 2019 and interviewed over 120 officials.
The IG concluded that the Trump White House’s drug operations were not just problematic but “severe and systemic.”
As a result, a lack of oversight meant a risk of prescribing errors and poor medication management, threatening the health and safety of patients.
Adding insult to injury, the Trump White House often avoided generic drugs, unnecessarily adding more to the bill for taxpayers. For example, the IG found the pharmacy “spent an estimated $46,500 for brand name Ambien, which is 174 times more expensive than the generic equivalent” and “an estimated $98,000 for brand name Provigil, which is 55 times more expensive than the generic equivalent.”
One prime example of this is a new report from the Department of Defence Inspector General (IG) regarding pill-popping at the White House, showcasing a plethora of ethical as well as criminal violations.
The report, “Evaluation of the DoD Internal Controls Related to Patient Eligibility and Pharmaceutical Management Within the National Capital Region Executive Medicine Services,” details how the White House Medical Unit ran a pharmacy eager to dispense medication, including controlled substances to staff members. Prompted by complaints, the IG reviewed records from 2017 through 2019 and interviewed over 120 officials.
The IG concluded that the Trump White House’s drug operations were not just problematic but “severe and systemic.”
As a result, a lack of oversight meant a risk of prescribing errors and poor medication management, threatening the health and safety of patients.
Adding insult to injury, the Trump White House often avoided generic drugs, unnecessarily adding more to the bill for taxpayers. For example, the IG found the pharmacy “spent an estimated $46,500 for brand name Ambien, which is 174 times more expensive than the generic equivalent” and “an estimated $98,000 for brand name Provigil, which is 55 times more expensive than the generic equivalent.”