In Florida, the new Prescription Drug Monitoring Program went into effect on Sept. 1. The program is designed to stop unauthorized use of prescription painkillers by having pharmacies gather detailed information about the medical professional who proscribes certain medications and the person who receives them. This information will eventually be reported to the state.
The Medical Association of Georgia has launched a program, Think About It, to fight illicit use of prescription painkillers though actions such as educating healthcare professionals and providing a safe place for the storage and disposal of prescription drugs. The state recently passed a law creating a database to prevent people from obtaining prescriptions from multiple providers or filling the prescriptions at multiple pharmacies. However, the legislation won’t go into effect until Jan. 2013.
As of June 20, Ohio physicians engaged in pain treatments will be required to take continuing medical education courses on pain management every two years. The Ohio State Medical Board finalized an emergency rule requiring 20 hours of Category 1 CME in pain medicine as part of its efforts to crack down on pill mills. Additional efforts include legislation requiring pain management clinics to obtain a license, limits to the amount of controlled substances prescribed within a certain time frame and the creation of a take-back program for unused drugs.
Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear has announced the formation of an interstate task force to curb illegal prescription pain medication activity between states. He is working with authorities in Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia to stop illegal prescription drugs from entering into the state. Kentucky already has a prescription drug task force that has successfully tracked down dealers, over-prescribing physicians and illegal internet pharmacies within the Kentucky borders.
In Tennessee, the Commissioners of Knox County have been considering guidelines that would dictate where a pain clinic could operate, who could own it and what registration requirements would be needed. The proposed ordinance would make it more difficult for pill mills that closed in one area to reopen in a new area. The state also uses the Controlled Substance Monitoring Database, which allows pharmacists to input data each time a prescription is filled so physicians to see if the patient recently received pain medication.
Related Articles on Pain Medication:
What Issues Shape the Future of Pain Management? 5 Physician Responses
8 Pain Medication Mistakes Patients Make
4 Points on Medication Management for Back Pain
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