Government Issues Plan to Reduce Prescription Drug Abuse

The Office of National Drug Control Policy has released a plan to reduce prescription drug abuse that includes education, tracking and monitoring, proper medication disposal and enforcement.

The plan, outlined in the document "Epidemic: Responding to America's Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis," focuses on prescription opioid abuse. According to the report, the milligram per person use of prescription opioids in the United States has increased 402 percent from 1997-2007.

The report outlines several goals for its prescription drug abuse prevention plan.

The 12-month goals are:
•    Approve and implement a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy for certain long-acting and extended release opioids
•    Write and disseminate a Model Pain Clinic Regulation Law

The 18-month goal is:
•    IHS increases the number of collaborative practice agreements that involve pharmacists prescribing privileges and monitoring of pain medication prescribing

The 24-month goals are:
•    Engage and work with Federal agencies and stakeholders to develop and implement a national public education campaign on prescription drug abuse and safe and proper medication disposal
•    Complete rule-making and implement regulations for medication disposal
•    Pass legislation that requires prescribers applying for DEA registration to complete training on the appropriate and safe use and proper storage and disposal of schedule II and III opioids
•    FDA issues a guidance document on developing abuse deterrent drug formulations and on post-market assessment of their performance
•    Have DOD, VA, and IHS provide controlled substance prescription information electronically to PDMPs in states in which they operate healthcare facilities and pharmacies
•    Increase by 25 percent the number of states reimbursing for SBIRT
•    Increase by 25 percent the number of HIDTAs involved in intelligence gathering and investigation around prescription drug trafficking and participation on statewide and regional prescription drug task forces

The 36-month goals are:
•    Complete legislation in all 50 states establishing Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs
•    Expand by 10 percent the available funding for treatment to increase access since only a small fraction of drug users currently undergo treatment

The 5-year goals are:
•    Decrease by 15 percent the non-medical use of prescription-type psychotherapeutic drugs in the past year among people 12 years old and older
•    Decrease by 15 percent the number of unintentional overdose deaths related to opioids within 60 months.

Read "Epidemic: Responding to America's Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis" (pdf).

Related Articles on Pain Management:
Drug Database Helps Tennessee Physicians Spot Prescription Fraud

Opioid Pain Medications Drive "Epidemic" of Unintentional Drug Overdose Deaths

New REMS Part of Government Plan to Contain Prescription Drug Abuse



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