Appeals court allows Cardinal Health to sell controlled substances

By Amy Pavuk, Orlando Sentinel

12:48 p.m. EST, March 6, 2012

A federal appeals court has temporarily stopped the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration from banning Cardinal Health, a prescription-drug wholesale distributor with a facility in Lakeland, from distributing controlled substances.

The ruling is the latest of legal twists in the case against Cardinal, which distributes drugs to more than 2,500 pharmacies in the Southeast.

DEA claims in court records that Cardinal Health has a history of problems and violated a memorandum of agreement the company made with the agency.

In early February, DEA attempted to suspend Cardinal's license, but the company fought back.

Cardinal Health sought a temporary restraining order against DEA, and a judge granted that request Feb. 3.

But after hearing arguments in the case, which is being handled in the District of Columbia, a judge dissolved that temporary restraining order.

The judge ruled last week that all orders for controlled substances, which include the highly addictive and powerful painkiller oxycodone, must be discontinued.

Cardinal Health appealed that decision, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled Friday that the DEA's immediate suspension order be stayed pending further order of the court.

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Appeals court allows Cardinal Health to sell controlled substances