Washington DC, United States

In a scathing report by the Department of Defense inspector general, a myriad of issues within the White House Medical Unit during the previous Trump administration were revealed. The report outlined shocking violations, including the alleged provision of controlled substances to ineligible White House staff in direct contravention of federal law and policy.

Advertisment

As per the report, controlled substances, ranging from opioids to sleeping medications, were inadequately managed, with handwritten notes being used for inventory tracking, resulting in frequent errors. 

The allegations against the Trump administration

A new report by the Department of Defense Inspector General found that the White House Medical Unit's practices extended to dispensing medications such as Ambien without proper verification. It also alleges that expensive brand-name medications, such as Ambien and Provigil, which it says are 174 and 55 times "more expensive than the generic equivalent", were purchased. This reflects a significant lack of fiscal responsibility. 

Advertisment

The improper disposal of both controlled and non-controlled substances further highlighted a systemic failure in pharmaceutical management.

The report's critique emphasised that the "White House medical officials did not consider their operations to be a pharmacy," showcasing a stark deficiency in perception and professional responsibility. 

Also read | Celestial parade: Earth braces for close encounters with five colossal asteroids this week

Advertisment

Without oversight from qualified pharmacy staff, the report warned of potential prescribing errors and raised concerns about the health and safety of patients treated within the unit.

"Without oversight from qualified pharmacy staff, the White House medical unit's pharmaceutical management practices might have been subject to prescribing errors," it warned.

"Additionally, the White House medical unit's practices demonstrated inadequate medication management and increased risk to the health and safety of patients treated within the unit."

What prompted the investigation?

As per CBS News, the investigation was prompted by complaints from 2018. 

"In 2018, the DoD Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG) Hotline received complaints alleging that a senior military medical officer assigned to the White House Medical Unit engaged in improper medical practices," says the report. However, the report did not explicitly name individuals.

Also read | 'Bad signal': Ukraine's Zelensky expresses concern over potential decrease in aid from US

US Representative Ronny Jackson, who led the White House Medical Unit during the period under scrutiny, previously faced controversies related to medication dispensing and inappropriate conduct.

Allegedly nicknamed the "candy man", Senator Jon Tester accused him of loosely dispensing sleep-related medications like Ambien and Provigil. Speaking to CNN, in 2018, Tester claimed that "In the White House they call him the 'candy man.'"