Pharmaceutical Diversion Education Inc.

You are here: Home / Archives for Health Care Facilities

INNOVATIVE NEW JERSEY COMPANY PATENTS “TALKING PILLS” AS A SOLUTION TO THE OPIOID EPIDMIC

by

The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) on May 30, 2017 issued a patent on a potential breakthrough solution to the opioid epidemic. The patent is for both a drug delivery and abuse deterrence device that will be submitted to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for marketing clearance.

The FDA is very experienced when it comes to intelligent pill technologies, but not until the newly patented “Smart Pill Drug Delivery Device” was presented to the agency did they see a solution with potential to solve primary challenges with opioids. The FDA wants “smart pill” technology for opiates to be produced and submitted so it can be efficiently reviewed through every relevant FDA division. To that end, the FDA, in a pre-IND / pre-IDE meeting, provided Pop Test (PT) Abuse Deterrent Technologies with a roadmap of guidances to get there.  www.SmartPillsSaveLives.com

The Smart Pill Drug Delivery Device prevents overdoses on prescription opioids. It also prevents the ability to counterfeit opioids.  Finally, it prevents the ability to divert pills from their prescribed user to others. The “Smart Pills” communicate with each other and they “talk” to the dispensing pharmacist and sometimes to law enforcement, too. The Smart Pills know the prescribed dosage for a patient, and if exceeded, the Smart Pills warn each other to not open their capsule to release medicinal contents, and this action thereby prevents an overdose.   [Read more…]

Drug thefts turn up big in state report on abuse and neglect of vulnerable Minnesotans

by

Drug theft by health care workers has become so common that it accounts for nearly one-fifth of all abuse cases affecting elderly Minnesotans, the state Department of Health reported Monday.

In a sign of growing concern over the abuse of prescription drugs, state officials began a separate count of “drug diversion” incidents for the first time in their latest report on neglect and exploitation of vulnerable Minnesotans.

State investigators examined 192 allegations of drug theft during the 12 months ending in June 2014; they substantiated 27 cases perpetrated by 14 health care workers. [Read more…]

Hydrocodone Prescribing Sees Steep Decline

by

In October 2014, hydrocodone combinations were rescheduled as Class II (CII) controlled substances. There had been years of debate and work to reschedule the drug, which in its pure form had always been scheduled as CII; however, in its typical retail form, in combination with acetaminophen and other drugs, it had maintained its CIII status for decades.

Hydrocodone combinations have historically been the most prescribed prescription drugs and were widely used to manage acute pain and, in some cases, breakthrough pain for chronic pain sufferers. By sheer volume, this made hydrocodone combination products the most abused prescription drugs in the United States. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Office of Diversion Control, with support from some law enforcement, made many attempts to reschedule the drug as CII, but kept failing. That changed in October 2014, but not everybody applauded the rescheduling. [Read more…]

Drug Diversion in Healthcare Facilities

by

Those of you who have followed this column over the years know that I have a special interest in the diversion of controlled substances within healthcare facilities. It started back in 1990 when I formed the Cincinnati Police Department’s Pharmaceutical Diversion Squad. We quickly learned that in addition to doctor shoppers, bad prescriptions, and other scams, a real problem existed in our hospitals and long term care nursing facilities with drug diversion. [Read more…]

COURT REPORTS: Waseca nurse charged with switching pain meds

by

A nurse at a Waseca nursing home is alleged to have stolen prescription pain medications while at work and replaced the pills with other drugs.

Mary Ann VanVeldhuizen, 31, of Waseca, was charged Dec. 31 with third-degree possession of narcotics, felony theft and criminal neglect, after telling Waseca Police investigators that she took prescription painkillers from bubble packs and refilled them with other medications. [Read more…]

How BIG is the problem?

Year after year, state and local law enforcement statistics indicate that pharmaceuticals are almost 30% of the overall drug problem in the United States, running a close second only marijuana abuse. However, until recently, law enforcement, health care professionals, and the general public have placed little emphasis on this huge problem.

Let PDE provide you with the most up to date information and best practices for protecting your organization.

Signup for Newsletter!

About PDE

Pharmaceutical Diversion Education (PDE) is designed to assist a wide range of the population in understanding the potential abuse and addiction that can be associated with prescription medication.

Drug Diversion:
Any Criminal Act Involving a Prescription Drug.

PDE Recent Articles

Areas of Discussion

Hot Topics

Abuse Deterrent Formulation Doctor Shopping FDA Fentanyl Guard Your Meds Heroin Hydrocodone Marijuana Naloxone Overdose Oxycodone OxyContin Pharmacist Prescription Drug Drop Boxes Prescription Monitoring Programs Prescription Take Back Steroids Training Vivitrol Zogenix Zohydro