By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
According to a report issued by the Department of Defense, drugs were just as prevalent in the White House under former President Donald Trump as they are in a pharmacy. Reportedly, investigators found “an obscene lack of control over the handling of controlled medications” while the twice-impeached and four-times indicted Trump roamed the Oval Office.
The Department of Defense Office Inspector General’s investigation reveals a disturbing lack of oversight over the distribution of controlled medications within the White House Medical Unit (WHMU) during Trump’s presidency.
According to the report, while Trump served as president, the distribution of prescription medications, including controlled substances, went to ineligible White House staff. Based on 70 interviews with staffers employed between 2009 and 2018 and prescription records from 2017 to 2019, the investigation sheds light on the issue’s magnitude.
The WHMU, responsible for managing the medical needs of White House personnel, was found to have “severe and systemic problems” under the Trump administration. The report revealed that the unit dispensed non-emergency-controlled medications, such as Ambien and Provigil, without properly verifying the patient’s identity. Additionally, over-the-counter medications were left in open bins for patient retrieval and use, posing potential safety risks.
A significant concern highlighted in the investigation is the White House Medical Unit’s preference for brand-name drugs over generic equivalents when ordering controlled substances from the Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland. The report states that over three years, the unit spent an estimated $46,500 on brand-name Ambien, 174 times more expensive than the generic equivalent.
The investigation further pointed out that the WHMU officials claimed to keep pharmaceutical records for only two years, limiting investigators’ access to records from 2017 to 2019. The report recommends developing a pharmaceutical oversight plan for the WHMU to address these issues.
In response to the findings, the Department of Defense said it has concurred with all recommendations outlined in the report. Lester Martínez-López, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, issued a memo attached to the report, emphasizing the need for the Director of the Defense Health Agency, in coordination with the WHMU Director, to develop policies and procedures for managing controlled and non-controlled medications, covering procurement, storage, inventory, prescribing, dispensing, and disposal. Martínez-López said the aim is to ensure better control and compliance with pharmacy safety standards within the White House Medical Unit.
Click here to view the full report.
