Letter to Customers: CPAP.com Prescription Policy Change

Howdy All,

More on the CPAP.com Prescription Policy Change can be found here:

https://www.cpap.com/DisplayNewsletter/77

Johnny

Thanks Johhny!

That clarifies it for me!

Thanks for the update Johnny. We know you're caught in the middle.

As a loyal customer, you have made it so easy over the years to purchase a mask without a Rx. Why are you changing this policy?

Sam1 wrote:As a loyal customer, you have made it so easy over the years to purchase a mask without a Rx. Why are you changing this policy?

Did you read the letter? The FDA is enforcing its requirement for prescriptions for masks and humidifiers.

Johnny,

Because the FDA really starting to enforce this now, do you think they will also make the equipment manufacturers change the working on their literature from "by order of physician" to "Rx only"? Or does that even matter?

Also, is that letter (or a link to the letter) going out to all the current customers of cpap.com? I was just curious as I am sure that some of them don't read this forum and wouldn't want to be blindsided.

Thanks,

Kevin

Thank you for the sarcastic reply. Yes, I did read the newsletter. As I understand, the FDA has always required a prescription for CPAP supplies. My regular DME never sold anything without a Rx but I assumed it was linked to insurance. It seems like a drastic change after years of not requiring me to send in a Rx.

Sam1 wrote:Thank you for the sarcastic reply. Yes, I did read the newsletter. As I understand, the FDA has always required a prescription for CPAP supplies. My regular DME never sold anything without a Rx but I assumed it was linked to insurance. It seems like a drastic change after years of not requiring me to send in a Rx.

Seems to me, with all the doctors and pharmaceutical/equipment manufactures under fire since Michael Jackson's death, everyone is starting to play by the rules to stay off the radar. If you do a forum search for cpap bust in Arizona....they are like CPAP nazis down there and makes this policy change seem mild in comparison.

A copy of Johnny's letter just appeared in my inbox.

I'm not sure if it's going to all customers or just those who subscribe to the newsletter.

jdm2857 wrote:A copy of Johnny's letter just appeared in my inbox.

I'm not sure if it's going to all customers or just those who subscribe to the newsletter.

Guess that answers one of my questions.... You're good, Johnny.

Howdy,

This letter is going out to all CPAP.com Newsletter subscribers. I hadn't considered sending it to all customers. I guess I have the blinders on lately.

As a loyal customer, you have made it so easy over the years to purchase a mask without a Rx. Why are you changing this policy?

We have no choice Sam. We badly want your business and are doing everything we can to make it easy to purchase from us.

equipment manufacturers change the working on their literature from "by order of physician" to "Rx only"?

I'm unsure of the changes coming there or its impact on this situation. Time will tell.

Johnny

klockemy wrote:Seems to me, with all the doctors and pharmaceutical/equipment manufactures under fire since Michael Jackson's death, everyone is starting to play by the rules to stay off the radar. If you do a forum search for cpap bust in Arizona....they are like CPAP nazis down there and makes this policy change seem mild in comparison.

I have to wonder why tighten up on xPAP yet leave prescription drugs essentially the same.

I get three months worth of prescription medication at a time from the pharmacy. I'm sure ingesting the contents of a whole bottle of medication would bring on my demise... if not serious harm.

Glven the way they want to strictly control the xPAP equipment one would think their thoughts would turn to prescriptions... oh wait. Currently there is NO cost effective way of doing that... short of creating timed lock-boxes that will deliver the correct amount of medication each day automatically.

Oh Gawd... we better start keeping the walkers, wheelchairs, elevated toilet seats, crutches, etc... ALL under lock and key!!!

Thanks for sending the letter to us all, Johnny! I'm glad to know that one's original XPAP prescription is good for future purchases of machines as well as masks and humidifiers!

Sam1 wrote:Thank you for the sarcastic reply. Yes, I did read the newsletter. As I understand, the FDA has always required a prescription for CPAP supplies. My regular DME never sold anything without a Rx but I assumed it was linked to insurance. It seems like a drastic change after years of not requiring me to send in a Rx.

I fail to see how klockemy's reply was sarcastic. The changes to the policy make sense. I'm sure if you were to speak to your doctor, there would be no issue in getting a prescription from him/her should you need it.

If you want to complain to someone, make your complaint to the FDA who has imposed this requirement. They're the ones you should have your beef with.

I've just done an "informal survey" of "major" online CPAP distributors.

Some now show prescription policy wording similar to that which cpap.com has instituted.
Others show no indication of having made any changes.
I have found only one site which specifically gives notice of a change like the one made at cpap.com:

link to a competitor prescription policy change notice

While I'm hesitant to link to a cpap.com competitor site, I think it important to document that the whatever pressures led to the change at cpap.com, they are apparently not limited to our sponsor.

I have also searched the FDA's web site for evidence of an announced enforcement policy change, and was not able to find anything relevant.