Just what the doctor ordered? CMS and DEA introduce new measures to facilitate e-prescribing

E-prescribing--the electronic transmission of prescriptions or prescription-related information--has been touted as an effective way to reduce adverse drug events and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have introduced measures designed to encourage e-prescribing. As a result of the agencies' dissimilar missions, the structure and substance of the two initiatives sharply contrast, and ultimately may prove incompatible. This article provides an overview of these two initiatives, their associated criticisms, and the obstacles preventing the widespread adoption of e-prescribing. Most importantly, it examines the conundrum posed by the competing interests of the two agencies and the extent to which DEA's responsibility to prevent unlawful activity will prevent generally law-abiding citizens from receiving safer and more efficient healthcare.