Prescription Drug Abuse: Young People at Risk

Source: www.drugabuse.gov

Challenges of Prescription Drug Monitoring Program

With the increasing trend of OTC drug abuse, the government has established a program called Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) to reduce the number of people abusing narcotics. It is used as one of the most promising new methods of improving the way of prescribing opiates and protect patients from suffering from drug addiction.

What are Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs)?

Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) are run by the state to observe the prescribing and dispensing of prescription medications to patients. It is used to monitor possible prescription drug addiction or the incidence of diversion. It is also useful in giving the prescribing doctor and pharmacist an idea about the patient’s prescription drug history.

This program also aims at assisting doctors and pharmacist in tracking who among the patients are vulnerable to abuse. By identifying the high risk individual, doctors can prescribe the right intervention at the right time.

Are Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs A Cure for Drug Abuse Problem?

PDMPs are pursued by several states to gain appropriate prescription of specially monitored medications. The program can detect patients who are more likely or are abusing medications.

The program is seen as another intervention to help identify people who are at risk for prescription drug addiction and at the same time, lower the incidence of prescription drug abuse.

What are the benefits of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs?

• Identify, discourage or prevent drug addiction and diversion
• Support the legal method of acquiring controlled medications
• Assist the identification and treatment of people who are struggling with addiction
• To help people become aware of PDMPs, and educating people of drug use, abuse, addiction and diversion of prescribed drugs

Are Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs Effective?

The effectiveness of prescription drug monitoring programs should still be proven. Some of the limitations of the program may lead to inaccurate data and illegal access of prescription drugs through cross-borders.

People who are battling with prescription drug addiction may mislead the system by providing false information with hospitals or obtaining medications by crossing the borders that do not hold their records on the database.

Data sharing is also not accessible at every point. Although the program promised enhanced data sharing to arrest wrong prescriptions and diversion, in reality, it is only accessible to certain points.

The goal of prescription drug monitoring programs is to lower the opiate abuse epidemic. However, it is not the only solution as it is just a part of a bigger program. Patients should be educated on the benefits as well as risks of opioid treatment. The government’s approach in eradicating prescription drug addiction should be done through multiple means.