Tuesday, August 21, 2012 - 4:02pm
Doctor shopping in Del. for Rx drugs now more difficult
Updated Tuesday, August 21, 2012 - 10:21pm
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| Gov. Markell discusses the Prescription Monitoring Program in-depth. |
Delaware's doctors and pharmacists have a new tool at their disposal to help reduce the spiraling problem of prescription drug abuse.
The Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) collects controlled substance prescription data from pharmacies every 24 hours. The database then issues an online report card for doctors and pharmacists that reveals a patient's controlled substance prescription history.
Dr. Randeep Kahlon, President of the Medical Society of Delaware, calls the PMP the best tool in their shed.
"This is a critical part of my practice, and just in the last 45 days or so that I've been using this, I've already found three patients who are abusing the system," says Dr. Kahlon.
Click here to listen
Liz Perkins with the Delaware Chapter of Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing (GRASP) welcomes the PMP and says if something like this had existed maybe her son, John Perkins, a University of Delaware student, who was addicted to several prescribed painkillers, may not have died.
"The death toll from drugs is now claiming a life every 14 minutes, that would include a devastating family like mine every 14 minutes. The disease of addiction is a world public health issue. Addiction has no prejudice. Believe me, it can happen to any one of us," says Perkins.
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So far, 4,000 prescribers have registered with the online database.
The PMP can also be used by law enforcement if they're investigating illegal use of prescription drugs.
For more information click here.
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