The Controlled Substance Monitoring Database was designed to allow pharmacists input data each time a prescription is filled. The physicians can then track how often a patient has received medications and if they are engaging in “doctor shopping.” Tracy Jackson, MD, of the Vanderbilt Interventional Pain Center, said urine drug tests can also help physicians weed out drug abusers from patients with true pain, according to the news report.
Dr. Jackson pointed out that although the drug database has been established for more than three years, only a few physicians utilize the system and there are still ways for doctor shoppers to get around the database. More research is needed to determine what practices work best at driving down prescription drug abuse, according to the news report.
Read the news report about the drug monitoring system in Tennessee.
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