In light of the current opioid epidemic in the United States, state and federal governments – as well as state boards of pharmacy and medicine – have ramped up their investigations into suspected improper prescribing habits. In particular, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is aggressively reviewing prescription and medical records for pharmacists and physicians who hold DEA registrations.

Increasingly, these DEA registrants are reporting that DEA agents are appearing unannounced at their homes or businesses to interview the registrants and inspect the premises for evidence of wrongdoing. In most cases, the agents then ask the registrants to sign what’s called a 104 Form, whereby the registrant voluntarily surrenders his or her DEA registration. The agents assure the registrant that the surrender is temporary and that he/she can get his/her registration back “in a few weeks” as long as they cooperate with the investigation.

You should not do this without first consulting an attorney.