Comprehensive Approach Needed To Help Control Prescription Drug Abuse

Highlights

Because of longstanding congressional concern over the seriousness of prescription drug abuse, GAO examined efforts to control prescription drugs at the retail level.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Department of Justice	The Attorney General should direct the Administrator of DEA to reallocate sufficient staff resources to fully implement the analytical reporting requirements of the Infant Formula Act.	Closed – Not Implemented Computer applications have met the desired results without requiring additional staff resources.
Department of Justice	The Attorney General should direct the Administrator of DEA to monitor the use of staff resources on the Targeted Registrant Investigations Program in terms of the program's success in targeting and immobilizing high-level traffickers appropriate for Federal investigation.	Closed – Implemented When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Justice	The Attorney General should direct the Administrator of DEA to increase the fees charged to drug manufacturers, distributors, and dispensers under the Controlled Substances Act to recover a greater portion of Federal control costs. The DEA Administrator should determine the additional compliance and regulatory program costs to be recovered by the fees and establish fee amounts accordingly.	Closed – Implemented When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Full Report

Full Report (56 pages)

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Topics

Auditing and Financial Management

Substance abuseDrug traffickingFederal aid to statesstate relationsLaw enforcementPersonnel managementPrescription drugsProgram evaluationReports managementlocal relations