PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

The DEA is warning of a deadly trend involving the type of illicit drugs coming into Metro Detroit.

A nonprofit organization has partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to make parents aware of how easy it is for teens to store drugs in plain sight.

The potential human cost of addiction and overdoses is staggering.

A pharmacy in Madison Heights has been busted for the illegal sale of thousands of controlled substances to people without prescriptions, officials said.

Drop off any unused of expired medications at U-M on Oct. 5.

Officials have charged a Grosse Pointe Park pharmacy owner, a Detroit doctor and three others with running a prescription drug ring in several cities around Wayne County.

The COVID pandemic caused a drop in visits to doctor’s offices, which led to a drop in the number of prescriptions being filled for both children and adults.

Prescriptions for children during the pandemic fell by more than 25 percent.

Gretchen Whitmer’s task forces has recommended lowering the price of necessarily prescription drugs and holding sellers accountable for skyrocketing costs. The Prescription Drug Task Force joined with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to recommend legislation that requires transparency reports from drug manufacturers, makes necessary medications affordable for Michigan families and holds sellers who profit from skyrocketing prices accountable. “Michigan families deserve to know that they can trust and have access to the medicine they need,” Whitmer said. “No one should have to choose between filling needed prescriptions and paying rent or buying food.”“The goal of the Task Force since day one was to find a way to lower the cost of prescriptions for Michigan families,” MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel said. Whitmer created the Prescription Drug Task Force last year to develop policy solutions and combat that problem.

It is adamantly opposed by critics aligned with the pharmaceutical industry who liken it to socialism. The Trump administration disputes that and says its rule could potentially result in 30% savings for patients. It also would allow private insurance plans for workers and their families to get Medicare's lower prices. Trump has taken other action to lower prescription drug costs by opening a legal path for importing medicines from abroad. Also, Medicare drug plans that cap insulin costs at $35 a month are available during open enrollment, currently underway.

METRO DETROIT, Mich. – Michigan State Police troopers released video Wednesday of a wrong-way driver incident on I-75. The video shows a trooper initiate a traffic stop with a wrong way driver who appears to be disoriented. The trooper requests the driver to put the vehicle in park six times before appearing to put the car in park himself. Video of the incident can be seen in the video player above. The Michigan State Police urge residents to talk to their doctor about their prescriptions and how they impact the user.