Doctor Shopping and Prescription Drug Addiction

The practice of “doctor shopping” has emerged as a tactic to fuel prescription drug addiction. Often, patients begin with a legitimate medical condition and become dependent on pain or psychoactive medication. Once prescribed a limited amount of a prescription drug by their physician, patients seek out new physicians to provide further prescriptions. By “doctor shopping,” patients acquire high level dosages of prescription medication in combination, leading to unhealthy intake levels—and often heightening prescription drug dependency.

Means of “Doctor Shopping” to Fuel Prescription Drug Addiction

For patients engaged in “doctor shopping,” often obtaining multiple doctors is not the only route to self-medicating. Some acquire, purchase or steal prescription pads, forging their own prescriptions and putting themselves at risk legally. Others with prescription drug dependency issues tend to exaggerate or feign pain or anxiety, in order to ensure access to medication they have become dependent upon. Some “doctor shoppers” even seek other types of physicians for medications—such as obtaining pain medication through a dentist, dermatologist, or mental health professional.

The “doctor shopping” epidemic is prompting states to seek more efficient reporting and arrests, using statewide databases to identify and eliminate “doctor shopping.” Those flagged as “doctor shoppers” will often face restrictions on their prescription drug use, as well as possible criminal charges.

Drugs Sought After by “Doctor Shoppers”

The prescription drugs most commonly sought-after by those engaged in “doctor shopping” are opioids. Opioids remain the most lethal drugs, with one West Virginia study showing they account for over 93 percent of prescription drug deaths—including methadone, which was responsible for 40 percent of deaths within the state. In fact, the study showed a strong trend toward “doctor shopping,” with nearly one-fifth of individuals who died from prescription drug overdoses having at least five different prescribing physicians prior to death.

Among other drugs popular for “doctor shopping” individuals are OxyContin, Vicodin and Lortab. Even extremely potent pain relievers such as Demerol and Dilaudid have become targets of “doctor shopping” practices. “Doctor shopping” doesn’t stop at pill consumption, though—liquid suspensions, narcotic skin patches, and even medicated lollipops have been acquired through “doctor shopping” techniques.

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