Hurricane Helene Highlights Need for Emergency Prescription Access
/By Crystal Lindell
Following the news for Hurricane Helene this week, I’ve been worried about everyone in its path. But it’s the people who rely on prescription pain medication that I am most worried about.
When natural disasters strike, patients who rely on opioids and other controlled substances can be left to face withdrawal or the black market to fill the gaps until doctors and pharmacies are fully functioning again.
While some states have laws in place to allow people to get early refills of their prescriptions when there’s an impending natural disaster, those laws can specifically exclude controlled substances like hydrocodone and Adderall.
According to a 2022 article by Healthcare Ready, the laws vary widely state-by-state and are poorly organized. Only 12 states have laws or regulations that allow for emergency prescriptions during a specified public health emergency. About half the states allow for short-term refills of medication during unspecified emergencies. Fifteen states and the District of Columbia don’t have any regulations allowing for emergency prescriptions.
The two states facing the worst from Hurricane Helene, Florida and Georgia, both have laws allowing for emergency prescription refills – but only one allows for refills of opioids.
Georgia specifically excludes Schedule 2 controlled substances such as codeine, hydrocodone, morphine and amphetamines, according to Atlanta News First.
Florida’s law is much more expansive. You can obtain a 30-day refill of any prescription medication, as long as your county meets one of the state’s disaster qualifications.
My guess is that Florida is more lenient due to the state’s reputation as a retirement destination. Older retired people are more likely to need pain medication and more likely to vote.
It’s understandable that states more commonly hit by hurricanes would have laws in place to address this issue, but every state should allow for emergency prescription refills. Natural disasters like earthquakes, tornadoes and wildfires can happen anywhere.
Ideally, this would be something best addressed at the federal level, so that patients who have to evacuate their state during emergencies would know they can get refills no matter where they go. Pharmacists would also need to be aware of how to apply the regulations.
The Food and Drug Administration recommends that patients have at least a week's supply of medication in case of emergencies – something that’s impossible for many pain patients. You know things are not functioning correctly when a federal agency is giving medical advice that patients are literally unable to follow.
The last thing anyone facing the threat of losing their home or even their lives should have to worry about is running out of hydrocodone. Even a small daily dose can cause withdrawal if stopped abruptly.
Medication withdrawal in normal conditions can feel like hell. I can’t imagine what it would be like if you also had to deal with the aftermath of a hurricane or wildfire. It could take days or weeks before power is restored, pharmacies to reopen, and supply chains to start functioning again.
Nobody should have to endure that, and with sensible laws in place across the country, nobody would have to.
