FDA changes affect Robins pharmacy Published Sept. 26, 2014 By Capt. Brittny Frazier OIC Pharmacy Operations ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Starting Oct. 6, all hydrocodone-containing medications will become Schedule II. That means all prescriptions, including remaining refills on file at Robins Air Force Base pharmacy will become void. Now patients will have to get a written prescription from a credentialed provider for each fill. Affected medications at Robins include Norco and Tussionex. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been working to address the important problems associated with misuse, abuse, addiction and overdose of opioid analgesics for several years. The unfortunate trend has led to countless public health and safety concerns. Research shows that more than 16,000 lives are lost each year due to opioid-related overdoses contributing to prescription drug abuse which is the leading cause of injury death in the United States - surpassing motor vehicle accidents. In efforts to combat this epidemic, the Drug Enforcement Administration tightened rules on hydrocodone combination medications by moving it to the Schedule II medication class. That restricts prescribers from writing refills and calling-in hydrocodone containing medications to a pharmacy. For more information on the changes, call the Robins pharmacy at 468-6335.