CVS to stop filling stimulant prescriptions from working, my brain

Digital mental health providers now face another challenge: CVS says it won’t fill prescriptions from telehealth companies Cerebral and Done Health.

Mental health care was on the cusp of something great: providing people in need (especially in the midst of a pandemic) with help via digital apps and services specializing in therapy and psychiatry. Cerebral — a telehealth startup that treats anxiety, depression, and insomnia — is (or has been) at the forefront of this movement as one of the most recognized names in digital mental health. Done Health is another company that specializes in ADHD treatment. However, these companies face an obstacle in their quest to help their patients. CVS assured Gizmodo that the pharmacy chain would not fill prescriptions for controlled substances, such as Adderall for example, that are required by providers who work at Cerebral and Done Health.

“We are committed to making mental health services as accessible and convenient as possible,” CVS told us in an email. CVS explained that they conducted a review of some telehealth companies, and indicated that there were concerns about prescription practices at both Cerebral and Done Health. “As a result of our inability to resolve the issues we have with Cerebral and Done Health, effective May 26, 2022 CVS Pharmacy will not accept prescriptions for controlled substances issued through these companies.” This decision surprised Cerebral, who said they were not aware of this decision before yesterday.

“We learned on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 24, that CVS will not be filling prescriptions for Cerebral controlled substances, effective Thursday, May 26,” Cerebral told Gizmodo in an email. Cerebral is also explained To us, the company was already implementing plans to move away from prescribing controlled substances: New patients would not be able to obtain a prescription for a controlled substance while this policy would be rolled out to existing patients in the coming months. Cerebral says that CVS‘s The decision stresses what should have been a gradual transition.

This isn’t a first pass in Cerebral’s prescription practices. The US Department of Justice is investigating whether the startup has violated the Controlled Substances Act, according to a report by from the inside.

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Even before CVS took action this week, other pharmacies had done so Already stopped Or delayed filling prescriptions for Cerebral and Done due to concerns that their doctors were giving too many prescriptions for stimulants. The Wall Street Journal also reported that Walmart began banning some Done’s prescriptions earlier this year as well.

Done Health did not immediately respond to our request for comment.

Update 5/25/2022, 4:40pm ET: THis post has been updated with an additional comment from Cerebral.