West Virginia VA clinic accused of swapping new mental health medications for older, cheaper ones

A Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in Beckley, W. Va., "swapped out new mental health drugs for older, cheaper medications to save money, federal officials alleged Wednesday," Rusty Marks reports for the Charleston Gazette. According to a letter from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, the VA’s Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee restricted health-care providers from administering newer drugs, a violation of VA policy. The practice was exposed by a whistleblower. (Veterans Affairs Medical Center-Beckley)

The VA reportedly restricted health-care providers from administering aripiprazole, used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression, and ziprasidone, used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, Marks writes. The Beckley VA Medical Center provides services to more than 38,000 veterans in 11 West Virginia counties. (Read more)