scholarly journals Descriptive, observational study of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical arrests, use, and overdoses in Maine

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. e027117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin J Simpson ◽  
Matthew T Moran ◽  
Michelle L Foster ◽  
Dipam T Shah ◽  
Daniel Y Chung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Prescription Medication ◽  
Medical Examiner ◽  
Drug Induced ◽  
Drug Enforcement ◽  
Controlled Substances ◽  
Drug Enforcement Administration ◽  
Alert Program ◽  
Recent Trends ◽  
Fentanyl Analogues

ObjectivesThe Maine Diversion Alert Program grants healthcare providers access to law enforcement data on drug charges. The objectives of this report were to analyse variations in drug charges by demographics and examine recent trends in arrests, prescriptions of controlled substances and overdoses.DesignObservational.SettingArrests, controlled prescription medication distribution and overdoses in Maine.ParticipantsDrug arrestees (n=1272) and decedents (n=2432).Primary outcome measuresArrestees were analysed by sex and age. Substances involved in arrests were reported by schedule (I–V or non-controlled prescription) and into opioids, stimulants or other classes. Controlled substances reported to the Drug Enforcement Administration (2007–2017) were evaluated. Drug-induced deaths (2007–2017) reported to the medical examiner were examined by the substance(s) identified.ResultsMales were more commonly arrested for stimulants and schedule II substances. More than two-thirds of arrests involved individuals under the age of 40. Individuals age >60 were elevated for oxycodone arrests. Over three-fifths (63.38%) of arrests involved schedule II–IV substances. Opioids accounted for almost half (44.6%) of arrests followed by stimulants (32.5%) and sedatives (9.1%). Arrests involving buprenorphine exceeded those for oxycodone, hydrocodone, methadone, tramadol and morphine, combined. Prescriptions for hydrocodone (−56.0%) and oxycodone (−46.9%) declined while buprenorphine increased (+58.1%) between 2012 and 2017. Deaths from 2007 to 2017 tripled. Acetylfentanyl and furanylfentanyl were the most common fentanyl analogues identified.ConclusionsAlthough the overall profile of those arrested for drug crimes in 2017 involve males, age <40 and heroin, exceptions (oxycodone for older adults) were observed. Most prescription opioids are decreasing while deaths involving opioids continue to increase in Maine.

Monitoring Prescriptions, Third-Party Healthcare Payers, Prescription Benefit Managers, and Private-Sector Policy Options

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
John J. Coleman
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Policy Options ◽  
Pharmacy Benefit ◽  
Drug Enforcement ◽  
Controlled Substances ◽  
Drug Enforcement Administration ◽  
The Third ◽  
Potential Benefits

This chapter discusses how opioids are diverted from legitimate to illegitimate channels and examines the systems that have been developed to keep track of these drugs by monitoring their prescribing and dispensing. Also covered are the regulations that enable authorities to scrutinize manufacturers and distributors for anomalous transactions that might signal diversion. The chapter also discusses potential strategies involving the private sector, which has a corresponding interest in curtailing waste, fraud, and abuse in the third-party healthcare payer systems that each year process billions of prescriptions for drugs, including controlled substances. The chapter looks at the role of pharmacy benefit managers in the dispensing of controlled substances. The potential benefits of adding pharmacy benefit managers to the present classes of business activities regulated by the Drug Enforcement Administration are explored.

ASCP's Long Journey With DEA

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (9) ◽  
pp. 403-403
Author(s):  
Paul Baldwin
Keyword(s):  
Legal Authority ◽  
Drug Enforcement ◽  
Controlled Substances ◽  
Drug Enforcement Administration

The Drug Enforcement Administration has agreed to publish a proposed rule that, if approved, would give nurses the legal authority to contact the pharmacy on behalf of the prescriber concerning controlled substances.

The Impact of Controlled Substance Federal Regulation on the Practice of Pharmacy

1995 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 130-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederick H. Branding
Keyword(s):  
Medical Practice ◽  
Criminal Prosecution ◽  
Federal Regulation ◽  
Drug Enforcement ◽  
Controlled Substances ◽  
Drug Enforcement Administration ◽  
Controlled Substance ◽  
The Impact

The federal Controlled Substances Act requires all registrants, including pharmacists, to keep complete, accurate, and detailed records of the acquisition and disposition of all controlled substances. These records are to be maintained in a readily retrievable manner in order that they may be inspected, verified, and copied by inspectors of the Drug Enforcement Administration. When dispensing controlled substances, pharmacists have a statutorily imposed corresponding responsibility to verify that all prescriptions for controlled substances have been issued by a prescriber in the usual course of that prescriber's legitimate medical practice. Violations of the Controlled Substances Act and regulations can subject pharmacists to a variety of sanctions, ranging from an administrative letter of admoni tion to a civil fine, forfeiture, or criminal prosecution. Copyright © 1991 by W.B. Saunders Company

The Impact of Controlled Substance Federal Regulation on the Practice of Pharmacy

1991 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 372-379
Author(s):  
Frederick H. Branding
Keyword(s):  
Medical Practice ◽  
Criminal Prosecution ◽  
Federal Regulation ◽  
Drug Enforcement ◽  
Controlled Substances ◽  
Drug Enforcement Administration ◽  
Controlled Substance ◽  
The Impact

The federal Controlled Substances Act requires all registrants, including pharmacists, to keep complete, accurate, and detailed records of the acquisition and disposition of all controlled substances. These records are to be maintained in a readily retrievable manner in order that they may be inspected, verified, and copied by inspectors of the Drug Enforcement Administration. When dispensing controlled substances, pharmacists have a statutorily imposed corresponding responsibility to verify that all prescriptions for controlled substances have been issued by a prescriber in the usual course of that prescriber's legitimate medical practice. Violations of the Controlled Substances Act and regulations can subject pharmacists to a variety of sanctions, ranging from an administrative letter of admonition to a civil fine, forfeiture, or criminal prosecution.

scholarly journals Roadblock on the health IT superhighway: E-prescribing and the controlled substances act

2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate L. Lapane, PhD ◽  
Brian J. Quilliam, PhD ◽  
David D. Dore, PharmD
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Complete Information ◽  
Electronic Prescribing ◽  
Health It ◽  
Medication History ◽  
Health Records ◽  
Drug Enforcement ◽  
Controlled Substances ◽  
President Bush ◽  
Drug Enforcement Agency

Electronic prescribing technology enables healthcare providers access to more complete information regarding patient’s medication history including prescriptions written by other healthcare providers. President Bush has put forth the goal of electronic health records for most Americans by 2014. Yet, regulatory roadblocks may be preventing further progress toward achieving these goals. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) must modify the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to keep pace with technology. It is time to move from discussions and hearings to piloting e-prescribing of controlled substances.

ASCP's Long Journey With DEA

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (9) ◽  
pp. 403-403
Author(s):  
Paul Baldwin
Keyword(s):  
Legal Authority ◽  
Drug Enforcement ◽  
Controlled Substances ◽  
Drug Enforcement Administration

The Drug Enforcement Administration has agreed to publish a proposed rule that, if approved, would give nurses the legal authority to contact the pharmacy on behalf of the prescriber concerning controlled substances.

Detection of 30 Fentanyl Analogs by Commercial Immunoassay Kits

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebekah E Wharton ◽  
Jerry Casbohm ◽  
Ryan Hoffmaster ◽  
Bobby N Brewer ◽  
M G Finn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alkyl Chain ◽  
Cross Reactivity ◽  
Overdose Prevention ◽  
Drug Enforcement ◽  
Drug Enforcement Administration ◽  
Preliminary Information ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Powder Samples ◽  
Fentanyl Analogs ◽  
Lateral Flow Assays

Abstract Health-care workers, laboratorians and overdose prevention centers rely on commercial immunoassays to detect the presence of fentanyl; however, the cross-reactivity of fentanyl analogs with these kits is largely unknown. To address this, we conducted a pilot study evaluating the detection of 30 fentanyl analogs and metabolites by 19 commercially available kits (9 lateral flow assays, 7 heterogeneous immunoassays and 3 homogenous immunoassays). The analogs selected for analysis were compiled from the Drug Enforcement Administration and National Forensic Laboratory Information System reports from 2015 to 2018. In general, the immunoassays tested were able to detect their intended fentanyl analog and some closely related analogs, but more structurally diverse analogs, including 4-methoxy-butyryl fentanyl and 3-methylfentanyl, were not well detected. Carfentanil was only detected by kits specifically designed for its recognition. In general, analogs with group additions to the piperidine, or bulky rings or long alkyl chain modifications in the N-aryl or alkyl amide regions, were poorly detected compared to other types of modifications. This preliminary information is useful for screening diagnostic, forensic and unknown powder samples for the presence of fentanyl analogs and guiding future testing improvements.

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