In the past, there was no ideal answer since systems were too expensive, took 35 days to provide information rather than immediately in
“real time“, and created privacy and theft identity issues.

We now have technology which will do what has been done for years with license testing and other situations requiring secure information….biometric ID for the purchase of Level II-V drugs.

HB 143 (Domino) and SB 614 (Aronberg) provide an economical system to pharmacies and dispensing doctors which simply does a biometric scan, gives the scan an ID number without disclosing the name, social security number, driver’s license number, or address of the patient to anyone other than the pharmacist who already has the information. That scan then allows the pharmacist to see immediately if there have been numerous other controlled drug prescriptions already dispensed. It can also assist pharmacists and dispensing doctors in identifying a medication prescribed which will not interact well with others the patient takes.

Florida has one of the bigger problems of prescription drug abuse in the nation. This legislation will allow us to take the lead with effective technology while providing Floridians both privacy and safety.

FACTS FOR POSTERS AT PRESS CONFERENCE

Bill numbers and sponsors – HB 143 (Rep. Domino) and SB 614 (Sen. Aronberg)

Prescription drug abuse accounts for 1/3 of the illegal drug abuse nationwide and is rapidly rising to the #1 drug problem.

In 2004 48% of the drug overdose deaths (6,035) involved prescription drugs and directly caused 2,181 – approximately 6 per day.

HB 145 and SB 614 FACT SHEET

THE PROBLEM

Prescription drug abuse accounts for 1/3 of the illegal drug abuse nationwide and is rapidly rising to the #1 drug problem.

In 2004 48% of the drug overdose deaths (6,035) involved prescription drugs and directly caused 2,181 – approximately 6 per day.

In 2004, Schedule IV drugs (such as Xanax and Valium) were found to be present in more overdose deaths than cocaine.

The number of Americans who abuse controlled drugs nearly doubled from 7.8 million to 15.1 million from 19992 to 2003 and more than tripled among teens in that time.

Over the past few years, Florida has seen a high demand for prescription drugs on the street where the profit margin is high.

The majority of illegal prescription drug diversion begins with a stolen, forged, counterfeit, or altered prescription form. Patients may seek out multiple doctors to prescribe (doctor shopping), fill the same prescription at multiple pharmacies (pharmacy shopping), or present fraudulent prescriptions to pharmacies. There are also some unscrupulous physicians who simply sell prescriptions to patients (known as a drug mill).

HISTORY

In 2001 Florida passed a law making it a 3rd degree felony for doctors to write prescriptions for fictitious persons, write prescriptions solely to make money, or knowingly assist patients in fraudulently obtaining controlled substances. It also makes it a 3rd degree felony for a patient to withhold information regarding previous receipt of a prescription for a controlled substance (doctor shopping).

The National Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting ((NASPER) Act in 2005 provided a framework and incentive for all states to establish an electronic database to monitor the prescription and use of Schedule II, III, IV and V drugs. However, lack of funding and HIPPA privacy issues have hindered the implementation.

To date roughly half the states have a monitoring program in place.

FLORIDA HAS NOT PASSED A PRESCRIPTION MONITORING BILL DUE TO COST, NO SYSTEM TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM IN “REAL TIME” PROVIDING THE PHARMACIST/DISPENSING PHYSICIAN IMMEDIATE INFORMATION, AND PRIVACY CONCERNS. HB 145 AND SB ADDRESSES THOSE CONCERNS.
HB 143/145 AND SB 614/612