If you’re a practitioner, pharmacy or distributor and other registrants, you probably have had a DEA-led investigation or audit.
The DEA frequently conducts these to determine compliance with the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
DEA audits or inspections can be conducted for a variety of reasons, such as:
While DEA audits are routine, they can lead to criminal prosecution and administrative action against your DEA registration if violations of the Controlled Substances Act are found.
If you are a DEA registrant subject to a DEA audit, or if you are aware of a DEA investigation into your practice, we urge you to contact our attorneys at Chapman Law Group immediately. We can advise you of your rights and how to proceed, and we will represent you before the DEA during a DEA audit.
Practitioners are generally inspected once every three years. However, inspections may be more frequent if the provider prescribes buprenorphine and/or has a Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 waiver. Narcotic treatment programs, distributors and other non-practitioner DEA registrants can expect a DEA inspection once every five years.
Unlike searches for criminal proceedings, the DEA does not require a search warrant to conduct a DEA inspection to determine compliance with the CSA. However, if the DEA is participating in a criminal investigation with other agencies, it must have a search warrant to search a practice/clinic.
DEA inspections are conducted by DEA diversion investigators who are assigned to various field offices across the U.S. and are generally part of the DEA’s Diversion Control Program. A DEA audit begins when a DEA Form 82 (Notice of Inspection of Controlled Premises) or an administrative inspection warrant is presented to a DEA registrant prior to the inspection.
If a DEA Form 82 is presented, the DEA registrant must give informed consent before the DEA audit or inspection may begin. Informed consent is a written statement by the registrant stating that:
In some cases, the DEA does not need informed consent to conduct a DEA inspection without an administrative search warrant. An administrative warrant is not required for:
If the DEA registrant refuses to give informed consent to the DEA audit, the DEA must obtain an administrative inspection warrant from the U.S. Federal District Court. Unlike a search warrant, an administrative inspection warrant does not require the DEA to show probable cause. Rather, to obtain an administrative search warrant, the DEA is required to describe the nature and extent of the inspection and any items that they wish to seize. Courts routinely grant administrative search warrants.
If the DEA presents an administrative search warrant to conduct a DEA audit or inspection, the registrant must comply. Refusal to comply is grounds for arrest. If you receive a DEA administrative search warrant, you should contact our attorneys immediately. Our attorneys are experienced in handling DEA investigations and enforcement actions and can give you immediate advice to help protect you, your practice and your DEA registration.
There are several reasons why a registrant might refuse to give informed consent even though the DEA will likely obtain an administrative search warrant. First, the DEA conducts inspections without warning; and, second, the DEA registrant may wish to contact an attorney before the search or audit begins.
We strongly advise that registrants who receive an administrative subpoena or DEA Form 82 contact our lawyers immediately. We can help determine if a registrant should give informed consent for a DEA inspection. If the DEA presents an administrative search warrant and the DEA investigation is already underway, our attorneys can help ensure that the DEA does not exceed the scope of the warrant. Additionally, we can assist in identifying areas of concern and help present your practice in the best possible light before the DEA.
An administrative search warrant does not give the DEA authority to inspect everything within the practice. The statute limits what the DEA can inspect; however, a recent court decision expanded the scope to include patient records. As of the time of writing, the case is pending appeal; therefore, it is unclear whether the DEA has the authority to inspect patient records under an administrative search warrant.
The DEA may attempt to interview you or your staff. Any information offered to the DEA may be used against you in an administrative or criminal proceeding. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you contact our attorneys before speaking with the DEA. We can help ensure that your rights are protected, and that the DEA does not exceed the scope of their search warrant or their powers under a DEA Form 82 inspection.
Following a DEA audit, if noncompliance is found, the DEA will issue an audit report detailing issues considered to be noncompliant with the CSA. If noncompliance with the CSA is found, the DEA may refer the matter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for criminal prosecution and/or take administrative action against the practitioner’s or facility’s DEA registration.
Chapman Law Group has a seasoned team of DEA defense attorneys experienced in defending DEA registrants all over the U.S., both during DEA investigations and in subsequent DEA actions. We are dedicated to helping practitioners, pharmacies, distributors and other registrants protect their DEA registration.
Our national DEA matters lawyers work with health care providers across the U.S., and we are based out of four offices:
Contact us today for more information about what we can do for you.
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