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Ambulance chief warns DEA rule changes will force local EMS to buy and secure medications
Summary
Mr. Jean told the board hospitals plan to stop issuing controlled substances to EMS by July 14 and non‑controlled medications by Oct. 1; the town must obtain a DEA license, install secure storage, and arrange destruction agreements, likely increasing costs.
Mr. Jean told the board that new DEA‑related procedures at local hospitals mean the town’s ambulance service will have to obtain a DEA license and create new secure storage and destruction arrangements for controlled medications. "July 14, they will no longer be issuing controlled substances to EMS agencies," Jean said, adding that Oct. 1 is the date hospitals expect to stop issuing non‑controlled medications as well.
Jean described practical impacts: the service must account for lot numbers and expirations, secure medication cabinets, contract with a destruction vendor, and possibly buy medications the hospital previously provided. He said the town is pursuing a vendor that charges a few hundred dollars to manage DEA paperwork and destruction; larger secure vaults and electronic systems could cost "a few thousand dollars to close to a new car," depending on configuration. Jean said legislators have intervened and pushed back aggressive timelines from some providers, but substantial operational changes remain likely.
