The report, which was based on an analysis of the unit’s records from 2017 to 2019, found that it violated “federal law and regulation and DoD policy” and had “severe and systemic problems” during the Trump administration.
“The White House Medical Unit dispensed prescription medications, including controlled substances, to ineligible White House staff,” the report says.
“Additionally, we found that the White House Medical Unit did not follow DoD guidelines for verifying patient eligibility,” it continues.
The drugs dispensed included Fentanyl. Morphine, Ketamine, Hydrocodone, Provigil, Ambien, Diazepam, Versed, and Tramadol.
The DoD also said that the unit failed to follow medication procurement practices, often requesting “brand‑name drugs rather than generic equivalents when ordering controlled substances from Walter Reed.”
“For example, over a 3‑year period, the White House Medical Unit spent an estimated $46,500 for brand name Ambien, which is 174 times more expensive than the generic equivalent,” it said.
The investigation found that one of the key issues was that the medical unit did not consider its operations to be a pharmacy, and it therefore “relied on internal White House Medical Unit controls to ensure compliance with safety.”
That’s despite its staff carrying out tasks usually performed by pharmacists, including “ordering and storing a variety of prescription and non‑prescription medications and dispensing medications to patients in conventional, amber‑colored pill bottles.”
The report was carried out after the DoD Office of Inspector General received multiple complaints about improper medical practices by a senior officer in the medical unit in 2018.
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