This article informs how certain states have had to investigate multiple hospitals about thefts of prescription pads. The investigators believe that this is the work of gangs in the New York area. They feel that they are doing this to make money from desperate people who are addicted to prescription pills. Most of the thefts have occurred at the hospitals run by the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporations, which operate the public hospitals. There is an estimate of about as many as 1.4 million blank prescriptions stolen. The investigators have been able to confirm that about 100 had been stolen. Each form is believed to have a street value of about $100 to $300 each. The prescription pads are mainly being used to order the prescription drug Oxycodone, and have been used in New York as well as other states and mail order pharmacies. The gang that has been identified with the thefts is the Latin Kings. The fact that the prescription pads are not being safeguarded at the different facilities is the reason why they are being stolen so easily.
This becomes a problem to society because there could soon become a shortage. When people who really need these medicines they might not be able to get them when they have to. They will have to wait for the pharmacies to re-stock. It could even cause a problem because the pharmacies might begin to think that the real prescriptions are fake prescriptions and not want to provide the costumer with what they need.
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