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There were some questions about ways prescription drugs are diverted, Here are some and some stats also...
National Drug Intelligence Center
Pharmaceuticals Drug Threat Assessment
ONE)
Diversion
Most pharmaceuticals abused in the United States are diverted by doctor shopping, forged prescriptions, theft and, increasingly, via the Internet. To reduce the occurrence of pharmaceutical diversion by doctor shopping and prescription fraud, 21 states have established prescription monitoring programs (PMPs) that facilitate the collection, analysis, and reporting of information regarding pharmaceutical drug prescriptions. State-level PMPs have been effective in reducing the average time required to conduct pharmaceutical diversion investigations as well as reducing the estimated number of dosage units dispensed by pharmacies and physicians to suspected abusers. For example, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health Service reports that the Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting (KASPER) system has reduced the average time to complete pharmaceutical drug investigations from 156 to 16 days. Moreover, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), establishment of the Nevada PMP has resulted in a 46 percent reduction in the estimated number of pharmaceutical dosage units distributed to suspected abusers.
National Electronic Prescription Monitoring Program
On October 5, 2004, the House of Representatives' Energy and Commerce Committee approved the amended version of the National All Schedules Reporting Act of 2003 (NASPER). The original Act was first proposed to Congress on September 30, 2002, by the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP). If enacted in its proposed form, NASPER would result in the implementation of a national electronic prescription monitoring system to track Schedule II, III, and IV drug prescriptions. The proposed NASPER system is designed to reduce the abuse and diversion of prescription drugs by assisting physicians in monitoring patient drug use and by aiding law enforcement personnel in investigating pharmaceutical diversion. Under the proposed NASPER system, pharmacists would report to a central administrator the patient's identification number; the drug, date, and quantity dispensed; the prescribing physician; and the dispensing pharmacy. Data entered into the NASPER system could be used to track patient drug use, prescribing patterns of medical practitioners, prescription rates and patterns for specific drugs, prescription patterns in specific geographic locations, and prescription patterns for longtime users.
Source: U.S. Senate, S. 3033; Pain Physician.
TWO)
Doctor Shopping
A common method of diverting pharmaceuticals is doctor shopping. Individuals who divert and acquire pharmaceuticals through doctor shopping do so by visiting numerous doctors in an attempt to obtain multiple prescriptions for the drugs, particularly prescription narcotics such as OxyContin, Percocet, and Percodan. Doctor shoppers often falsify or exaggerate symptoms in order to obtain prescriptions for pharmaceuticals and often visit doctors they believe to be more likely to write prescriptions for such drugs. The individuals typically have their prescriptions filled at multiple pharmacies in order to avoid detection.
Florida Man Arrested for Doctor Shopping
On April 14, 2004, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) announced the arrest of a Florida man on charges related to doctor shopping. At the request of the Tampa Police Department, and based on information received from them, FDLE began a preliminary inquiry into allegations that the man was having numerous prescriptions for opiate-based painkillers filled at various pharmacies throughout the Tampa area within 30-day intervals. Various Tampa area doctors, without knowledge of the other prescriptions, allegedly issued the prescriptions that he supplied to multiple pharmacies. The FDLE investigation conducted into the allegations against the man revealed that he had made at least 34 visits to 14 different doctors between November 2002 and November 2003. During these visits, he obtained prescriptions for painkillers such as hydrocodone and oxycodone. He is charged with eight counts of doctor shopping. Each count is a third degree felony punishable by up to 5 years in state prison.
Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
THREE)
Prescription Fraud
Prescription fraud includes a variety of schemes commonly used to divert pharmaceuticals such as forging or altering prescriptions, producing counterfeit prescriptions, and calling in fictitious prescriptions to pharmacies by impersonating a physician. Pharmacists often recognize prescription fraud, particularly forged, altered, or counterfeit prescriptions, because the prescriptions are written in unfamiliar handwriting (often without abbreviations) or the prescription quantities, directions, or dosages differ from normal usage. Pharmacists also identify fraud when prescriptions resemble textbook examples or appear to be photocopied.
Baltimore Woman Indicted for Passing Counterfeit Prescriptions
On March 3, 2004, the Attorney General for the State of Maryland announced that a Baltimore woman was indicted on February 26, 2004, in the Baltimore City Circuit Court with possessing a controlled dangerous substance by counterfeit prescription, counterfeiting prescriptions, passing counterfeit prescriptions, and conspiracy to commit these crimes. The indictment alleges that she produced and passed counterfeit prescriptions for Percocet on six occasions starting on April 29, 2003, and ending on June 6, 2003.
Source: Office of the Maryland Attorney General.
FOUR)
Illegal prescribing by unscrupulous physicians is a significant source of diverted pharmaceuticals. Corrupt physicians create fraudulent prescriptions to obtain drugs for personal use, and they also write prescriptions for individuals without a legitimate need for the drug for a fee. Unscrupulous physicians sometimes collaborate with unscrupulous pharmacists who dispense the drugs for an additional fee.
Maryland Dentist Pled Guilty to Unlawfully Prescribing Percocet
On January 15, 2004, the DEA Washington Field Division announced that a Hyattsville, Maryland, dentist pled guilty to two indictments in which he was charged with the unlawful distribution of oxycodone. The Hyattsville dentist acknowledged that beginning in September 2001 and continuing until his arrest in May 2003, he wrote prescriptions for female patients for several controlled substances including Percocet, OxyContin, Vicodin, other hydrocodones, and alprazolam without a legitimate medical purpose. He further admitted that he conducted no physical examination or dental treatment, maintained no patient file or record, and solicited sexual favors in return for the unlawful prescriptions. He was arrested in May 2003 after an undercover Maryland State police officer, posing as a Percocet addict, received prescriptions for Percocet on two occasions.
Source: Drug Enforcement Administration.
FIVE)
Theft
Millions of pharmaceutical drug dosage units are diverted each year through theft from pharmacies, manufacturers, distributors, importers/exporters, and from individuals with legitimate prescriptions. The amount of pharmaceutical dosage units diverted annually from 2000 to 2003 through theft fluctuates but has increased overall for most drugs, particularly for prescription narcotics like OxyContin. According to DEA, the number of pharmaceutical dosage units diverted through theft from pharmacies, manufacturers, distributors, and importers/exporters has increased from 2,379,389 in 2000 to 2,753,928 in 2003.
Pharmaceuticals Drug Threat Assessment
ONE)
Diversion
Most pharmaceuticals abused in the United States are diverted by doctor shopping, forged prescriptions, theft and, increasingly, via the Internet. To reduce the occurrence of pharmaceutical diversion by doctor shopping and prescription fraud, 21 states have established prescription monitoring programs (PMPs) that facilitate the collection, analysis, and reporting of information regarding pharmaceutical drug prescriptions. State-level PMPs have been effective in reducing the average time required to conduct pharmaceutical diversion investigations as well as reducing the estimated number of dosage units dispensed by pharmacies and physicians to suspected abusers. For example, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health Service reports that the Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting (KASPER) system has reduced the average time to complete pharmaceutical drug investigations from 156 to 16 days. Moreover, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), establishment of the Nevada PMP has resulted in a 46 percent reduction in the estimated number of pharmaceutical dosage units distributed to suspected abusers.
National Electronic Prescription Monitoring Program
On October 5, 2004, the House of Representatives' Energy and Commerce Committee approved the amended version of the National All Schedules Reporting Act of 2003 (NASPER). The original Act was first proposed to Congress on September 30, 2002, by the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP). If enacted in its proposed form, NASPER would result in the implementation of a national electronic prescription monitoring system to track Schedule II, III, and IV drug prescriptions. The proposed NASPER system is designed to reduce the abuse and diversion of prescription drugs by assisting physicians in monitoring patient drug use and by aiding law enforcement personnel in investigating pharmaceutical diversion. Under the proposed NASPER system, pharmacists would report to a central administrator the patient's identification number; the drug, date, and quantity dispensed; the prescribing physician; and the dispensing pharmacy. Data entered into the NASPER system could be used to track patient drug use, prescribing patterns of medical practitioners, prescription rates and patterns for specific drugs, prescription patterns in specific geographic locations, and prescription patterns for longtime users.
Source: U.S. Senate, S. 3033; Pain Physician.
TWO)
Doctor Shopping
A common method of diverting pharmaceuticals is doctor shopping. Individuals who divert and acquire pharmaceuticals through doctor shopping do so by visiting numerous doctors in an attempt to obtain multiple prescriptions for the drugs, particularly prescription narcotics such as OxyContin, Percocet, and Percodan. Doctor shoppers often falsify or exaggerate symptoms in order to obtain prescriptions for pharmaceuticals and often visit doctors they believe to be more likely to write prescriptions for such drugs. The individuals typically have their prescriptions filled at multiple pharmacies in order to avoid detection.
Florida Man Arrested for Doctor Shopping
On April 14, 2004, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) announced the arrest of a Florida man on charges related to doctor shopping. At the request of the Tampa Police Department, and based on information received from them, FDLE began a preliminary inquiry into allegations that the man was having numerous prescriptions for opiate-based painkillers filled at various pharmacies throughout the Tampa area within 30-day intervals. Various Tampa area doctors, without knowledge of the other prescriptions, allegedly issued the prescriptions that he supplied to multiple pharmacies. The FDLE investigation conducted into the allegations against the man revealed that he had made at least 34 visits to 14 different doctors between November 2002 and November 2003. During these visits, he obtained prescriptions for painkillers such as hydrocodone and oxycodone. He is charged with eight counts of doctor shopping. Each count is a third degree felony punishable by up to 5 years in state prison.
Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
THREE)
Prescription Fraud
Prescription fraud includes a variety of schemes commonly used to divert pharmaceuticals such as forging or altering prescriptions, producing counterfeit prescriptions, and calling in fictitious prescriptions to pharmacies by impersonating a physician. Pharmacists often recognize prescription fraud, particularly forged, altered, or counterfeit prescriptions, because the prescriptions are written in unfamiliar handwriting (often without abbreviations) or the prescription quantities, directions, or dosages differ from normal usage. Pharmacists also identify fraud when prescriptions resemble textbook examples or appear to be photocopied.
Baltimore Woman Indicted for Passing Counterfeit Prescriptions
On March 3, 2004, the Attorney General for the State of Maryland announced that a Baltimore woman was indicted on February 26, 2004, in the Baltimore City Circuit Court with possessing a controlled dangerous substance by counterfeit prescription, counterfeiting prescriptions, passing counterfeit prescriptions, and conspiracy to commit these crimes. The indictment alleges that she produced and passed counterfeit prescriptions for Percocet on six occasions starting on April 29, 2003, and ending on June 6, 2003.
Source: Office of the Maryland Attorney General.
FOUR)
Illegal prescribing by unscrupulous physicians is a significant source of diverted pharmaceuticals. Corrupt physicians create fraudulent prescriptions to obtain drugs for personal use, and they also write prescriptions for individuals without a legitimate need for the drug for a fee. Unscrupulous physicians sometimes collaborate with unscrupulous pharmacists who dispense the drugs for an additional fee.
Maryland Dentist Pled Guilty to Unlawfully Prescribing Percocet
On January 15, 2004, the DEA Washington Field Division announced that a Hyattsville, Maryland, dentist pled guilty to two indictments in which he was charged with the unlawful distribution of oxycodone. The Hyattsville dentist acknowledged that beginning in September 2001 and continuing until his arrest in May 2003, he wrote prescriptions for female patients for several controlled substances including Percocet, OxyContin, Vicodin, other hydrocodones, and alprazolam without a legitimate medical purpose. He further admitted that he conducted no physical examination or dental treatment, maintained no patient file or record, and solicited sexual favors in return for the unlawful prescriptions. He was arrested in May 2003 after an undercover Maryland State police officer, posing as a Percocet addict, received prescriptions for Percocet on two occasions.
Source: Drug Enforcement Administration.
FIVE)
Theft
Millions of pharmaceutical drug dosage units are diverted each year through theft from pharmacies, manufacturers, distributors, importers/exporters, and from individuals with legitimate prescriptions. The amount of pharmaceutical dosage units diverted annually from 2000 to 2003 through theft fluctuates but has increased overall for most drugs, particularly for prescription narcotics like OxyContin. According to DEA, the number of pharmaceutical dosage units diverted through theft from pharmacies, manufacturers, distributors, and importers/exporters has increased from 2,379,389 in 2000 to 2,753,928 in 2003.
A while back when I was at the Pharmacy picking up my meds, the Pharmacy manager was talking to one of the staff and said that a girl that was prescribed Oxycontin had called her and told her that she needed an early refill and to speak with the Doctor. The Pharmacy manager asked her why she needed and early refill and to her amazement the girl told her that because she needed food for her kids and had no money, she was forced to sell some of them. The girl said "I will not lie so take it for what it's worth" The Pharmacist of course told her that the Doctor would not refill her meds and that she would have to make an appt. to see him before she could dispense any more. The Pharmacist said " Well that's a first...at least she was honest"
I kid you not...this really happened. I was beside myself in laughter. I guess it takes all kinds.
Just a story I thought was appropriate for this post.
All my best,
Mollyrae
I kid you not...this really happened. I was beside myself in laughter. I guess it takes all kinds.
Just a story I thought was appropriate for this post.
All my best,
Mollyrae
Thank you Sandee, A lot of chronic pain patients are getting caught up in this. All the time we see patients who are maybe unhappy with their doctor so they go to see someone else and when the next pharmacy report comes out it looks like they are receiving meds from two doctors. It doesn't matter that they are in pain, it doesn't matter that they have a good explanation, it doesn't matter that they were not abusing their meds, they get put on a 15 or 30 day detox and no other doctors can prescribe for them. Some of these situations are horrible, but these laws are getting stricter all the time.
I want to add more as far as how these things affect us as pain management patients.
It is sad that we have to deal with the consequences of others actions and I want to show our members here how much this does go on.
If anyone here has had experiences such as these tell us about them.
Being informed about these things that affect us so greatly is important.
Also include any ideas you have on how we can help in the fight to stop these things from happening.
It is sad that we have to deal with the consequences of others actions and I want to show our members here how much this does go on.
If anyone here has had experiences such as these tell us about them.
Being informed about these things that affect us so greatly is important.
Also include any ideas you have on how we can help in the fight to stop these things from happening.
This is the link I used...
http://www.justice.gov/ndic/pubs11/11449/diversion.htm
I am looking for a newer version as this is the 2004 version. I update if I find the 2008-2009 version.
This gives you some idea of the things that are done that we the legitimate Pt's no part of but yet we pay for. We all know how difficult it is to find a PM doctor willing to treat chronic pain and these are some reasons why.
http://www.justice.gov/ndic/pubs11/11449/diversion.htm
I am looking for a newer version as this is the 2004 version. I update if I find the 2008-2009 version.
This gives you some idea of the things that are done that we the legitimate Pt's no part of but yet we pay for. We all know how difficult it is to find a PM doctor willing to treat chronic pain and these are some reasons why.
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