Done Global, the online healthcare company that saw two of its executives arrested last week, issued a statement this week assuring patients that it will do its best to continue operations despite the… Federal indictments By the US Department of Justice. The executives were accused of providing “easy access” to Adderall and other stimulant medications to treat ADHD and making “false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement.”
Ruthia He, founder and CEO of Done Global, and David Brody, chief clinical officer of Done Health, were arrested last week in California, according to a press release. From the Ministry of Justice. But a company spokesperson told Gizmodo that the company doesn’t agree they did anything wrong.
“Done Global strongly disagrees with the criminal charges brought last week against our founder, Ruthia He, and Dr. David Brody, which are based on events that occurred primarily between February 2020 and January 2023,” a Done Global spokesperson said in a statement.
These dates, from early 2020 to early 2023, are important because they align with the big push toward telehealth services in the United States as the country grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 1.1 million Americans. The Department of Justice alleges that the company took advantage of the shift to online treatments to write prescriptions for people who didn’t actually need drugs like Adderall, something the company denies.
“Since our founding, Done Global has worked to make mental health care accessible to tens of thousands of Americans caught up in an escalating national crisis,” a company spokesperson told Gizmodo.
Done Global stressed that it will continue to operate and treat patients, although the company did not respond to two follow-up emails containing questions about whether there was any tangible threat to its ability to operate as usual.
“We will continue to support our physicians as they exercise independent clinical judgment, practice evidence-based medicine, and provide best-in-class health care,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a statement in the immediate aftermath of last week’s indictments warning that there are Increased risk of injuries and overdose If Done Global cannot prescribe the medication.
“Patients who rely on prescription stimulant medications to treat ADHD and use this or other subscription-based telehealth platforms could experience disruption to their treatment and disruption to access to their services,” the CDC said in an advisory published online. care”. June 13.
The concern is that legitimate patients using Done Global, which could number 30,000 to 50,000 people in all 50 states according to the CDC, will turn to riskier methods to treat themselves, including black market or illicit drugs. The United States already has a shortage of ADHD medications, which are manufactured artificially under the Drug Enforcement Administration’s restrictions on the number of stimulants that can be sold in the country.
“Given the national drug overdose crisis and threats associated with the illicit drug market, individuals struggling to access prescription stimulant medications are urged to avoid using medications obtained from anyone else,” the CDC said in its warning. Other than a licensed physician and a licensed pharmacy.”
Given the nature of the problem, this is much easier said than done.