DEA officials failed across the board, said the Justice Department's inspector general, pointing to a "Toxic" environment, lack of data to spot the mounting crisis, and a failure to use tools that could have shut down some of the worst offenders among manufacturers, doctors and pharmacies dealing the drugs.
"Every aspect of the pharmaceutical supply chain bears responsibility for the havoc and senseless death unleashed upon West Virginia - and the DEA is no exception," said Patrick Morrisey, West Virginia's attorney general.
The DEA cut its use of immediate suspension orders beginning in 2013, the investigation found.
A "Toxic" atmosphere among DEA divisions may also have hindered investigations, the report said, including delayed action on one oxycodone "Pill mill" for more than a year.
The Washington Times on Tuesday contacted the whistleblower, former DEA Agent Joe Rannazzisi, but he said he hadn't had time to read the report.
The DEA, in its official response to the report, said suspension orders also dropped because of a lack of training and a change in strategy to target "Upstream" producers.
Leo Beletsky, a public health and legal analyst at Northeastern University, said the report "Glosses over" big questions about the DEA's role.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/oct/1/obama-administration-bungled-opioid-crisis-respons/
"Every aspect of the pharmaceutical supply chain bears responsibility for the havoc and senseless death unleashed upon West Virginia - and the DEA is no exception," said Patrick Morrisey, West Virginia's attorney general.
The DEA cut its use of immediate suspension orders beginning in 2013, the investigation found.
A "Toxic" atmosphere among DEA divisions may also have hindered investigations, the report said, including delayed action on one oxycodone "Pill mill" for more than a year.
The Washington Times on Tuesday contacted the whistleblower, former DEA Agent Joe Rannazzisi, but he said he hadn't had time to read the report.
The DEA, in its official response to the report, said suspension orders also dropped because of a lack of training and a change in strategy to target "Upstream" producers.
Leo Beletsky, a public health and legal analyst at Northeastern University, said the report "Glosses over" big questions about the DEA's role.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/oct/1/obama-administration-bungled-opioid-crisis-respons/
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