Pharmaceutical Diversion Education Inc.

You are here: Home / Archives for Abuse Deterrent Formulation

Op-Ed: More support for abuse deterrent drugs

by

Below article was submitted to and published by The CT Mirror

Paul Gileno’s piece is spot on and something that is often forgotten in the prescription drug abuse issue that has swept our nation. He brought up the issue of Abuse Deterrent Formulations (ADF) for certain prescription drugs that are highly abused. The ADF are much more difficult to break down for snorting or injecting, making it far less desirable to the typical addict.

The reformulation of OxyContin® probably represents the best example considering it was a major drug of abuse until reformulated with an ADF in August 2010. Once the old formulation was no longer on retail pharmacy shelves, the abuse and diversion of OxyContin® took a huge plunge downward. In addition, street values also plummeted and the attraction to this once highly sought after drug became far less with the formulation change. [Read more…]

DEA Allows Rx Returns

by

Recently, US Attorney General Eric Holder announced a new Drug Enforcement Admini- stration (DEA) regulation that allows hospitals, pharmacies, clinics, and other authorized entities to provide drop-off locations for outdated or unused prescription drugs. Nursing homes will also be allowed to collect medications turned in by their residents, and the general public will have the option of mailing in their medications to authorized collection companies. Holder and the DEA feel that this new regulation, which went into effect in October 2014, will help to curb the rising prescription drug problem in America.

It’s interesting, no matter what you think of this move by the DEA, that it has is being done well after the peak of the prescription drug epidemic in the United States. I’m not saying that there still isn’t a huge problem, but our federal government always seems to be 1 or 2 steps behind the times! [Read more…]

The Heroin Epidemic and Abuse-Deterrent Formulations

by

There is no doubt that the huge heroin epidemic in the United States is not confined to the inner city, but has blossomed into suburbia and rural America. It is responsible for countless overdose deaths; meanwhile, abuse-deterrent formulations (ADFs) have come to the forefront of the abused pharmaceuticals arena, making drugs such as OxyContin less desirable on the street market.

The heroin of today is far different than the heroin of the late 1960s and early 1970s, when it was less than 10% pure. Today’s heroin is significantly more pure than its predecessor, sometimes reaching 60% to 70% pure, and it is capable of being successfully snorted in addition to being injected. I think this ability to snort heroin can be somewhat misleading to frequent users who may think they are not really addicted since they don’t inject this potent opiate. [Read more…]

Zohydro ER: A New Chronic Pain Product Launch

by

There has been quite a bit of chatter in the law enforcement field, and even among health professionals, about the launch of a brand-new extended-release hydrocodone product called Zohydro ER. The product launched on March 3, 2014, so by now your pharmacy has probably had some experience with orders for this single-entity, CII hydrocodone pharmaceutical indicated for chronic pain.

I was asked to be a member of the External Safe Use Board at Zogenix Pharmaceuticals, which is the manufacturer of Zohydro ER, and attended my first meeting in February 2014 in San Diego. We spent a day and a half at corporate headquarters, and the time was packed full of information about the drug and the programs Zogenix had in place in anticipation of the launch. The company representatives were anxious to hear our response to their programs, and they were very open to any suggestions for improving the programs and for new ideas. [Read more…]

Drug Diversion and Abuse: The Future of Rx Abuse

by

Of course, nobody knows for sure the extent of abuse that pharmaceuticals will see over the next decade and beyond, but perhaps an educated guess can be made based on the history of substance abuse over the past 40 to 50 years. I have been around about that length of time in law enforcement, and unfortunately I have seen some remarkable events unfold.

There is no question in my mind that alcohol abuse far outweighs all of the other substances of abuse, and of course, alcohol is a legal drug. When President Obama indicated that marijuana was no worse than alcohol, I wondered if he really knew what he was saying! That shouldn’t have made the case for marijuana legalization, but should give pause as to the meager job we have done controlling alcoholism and alcohol abuse by our youth. [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 Counterfeit 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 Veterinarian Vivitrol Zogenix Zohydro