Question:
What is the goal of a prescription drug monitoring program?
Answer:
According to the white paper “Healthcare Strategies to Reduce the Harm of Opioids” prepared by the Healthcare Fraud Prevention Partnership: “The function of a PDMP is to collect and monitor prescribing and dispensing data submitted by pharmacies and dispensing practitioners to support states in their efforts to prevent the misuse of controlled substances. According to the CDC, 49 states, the District of Columbia and Guam have instituted PDMPs. The design, oversight, and use of PDMPs vary substantially by state or territory. (150) Some law enforcement agencies are able to use PDMPs to help with preventing the fraud, waste, and abuse associated with opioid prescriptions, though there are some legal restrictions related to privacy concerns. (151) For example, law enforcement may query PDMP databases pursuant to active investigations in 19 states and the District of Columbia, (152) while thirty states require a court order, subpoena, search warrant, or grand jury order to query their PDMPs.(153).”