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Filling Prescriptions Under False Names

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The issue of writing prescriptions using an alias has entered the spotlight following the overdose death of acclaimed musician Prince last year. A doctor allegedly wrote prescriptions using a different name to safeguard Prince’s identity. This unfortunately is a more common practice than one might suspect, and pharmacists must be wary.

I first encountered this type of situation while in charge of the pharmaceutical unit at the Cincinnati Police Department in the 1990s. It was on a local level, so the so-called celebrity would have been unknown to anyone outside our area but was considered an icon locally. We served a search warrant on the pharmacy for a variety of potential criminal offenses and, in searching the pharmacy, discovered a ledger that detailed the filling of prescriptions for this local celebrity under a false name and address. [Read more…]

Drug Diversion and Veterinarians

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Prescription drug abuse is usually thought to be perpetuated only by individuals visiting physicians, dentists, and others who treat humans. However, sometimes people use their pets to divert and abuse pharmaceuticals. Veterinarians can prescribe virtually any prescription drug, making them a potential target of drug seekers looking for opioids, benzodiazepines, and, in large animal practices, anabolic steroids.

Many years ago, the office I worked in encountered a young man who had a very small dog named Dolly. The man visited local veterinarians, telling them that Dolly had “a lot of anxiety.” He explained that Dolly’s past bouts with anxiety had always been solved with diazepam, which, of course, was the reason for his visit. Every month, the man took Dolly to 5 veterinarians, all of whom sent her home with tranquilizers. If she did suffer from an anxiety problem, it was never treated. My office got word of the fraud and arrested Dolly’s owner, but he promptly made bond and continued his scam with 5 additional veterinarians. The owner’s second arrest finally put a stop to his scheming. [Read more…]

Police and Pharmacists Team Up to Thwart Drug Diversion

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Any law enforcement officer who has worked in drug diversion knows the importance of the pharmacy profession. Myself and my colleagues have found pharmacists to be incredibly savvy allies, especially when it comes to weeding out individuals who are trying to scam the system.

A recent conference at Auburn University’s School of Pharmacy saw law enforcement officials, pharmacists, and other health professionals team up to tackle the ongoing problem of prescription drug abuse.1  It does not matter whether such a collaboration is initiated by pharmacy or law enforcement. Ideally, every town, city, and county would practice the teamwork demonstrated at this conference. [Read more…]

The Value of Prescription Monitoring Programs

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A recent study from Vanderbilt University in Nashville proclaimed that prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) can reduce prescription drug–related overdose deaths. According to the study results published in the June issue of Health Affairs, “If Missouri adopted its own PDMP, and every state enhanced its existing program, some 600 overdose deaths would be avoided annually.”1

Missouri is referred to because, as of this writing, it is the only state without a PDMP. Establishment of a PDMP is being debated in the Missouri legislature, however, as other states have enjoyed incredibly successful PDMPs for years. Missouri is not only a haven for in-state seekers of illegitimate refills, but the state also attracts offenders from bordering states! The prescribers and dispensers with whom I have spoken over the past few years are fed up with the problem and the legislature’s lack of response to it. [Read more…]

Hospital Emergency Departments Are Adopting Drug-Use Tracking Systems

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It was recently announced that some hospitals in certain states are using a system to track patients who shop hospital emergency departments (EDs). These hospitals’ electronic records use a bright-red indicator to highlight particular patients who repeatedly seek prescription drugs in the ED. This tracking program was initiated due to the excessive amount of scammers visiting US EDs.

ED employees (physicians, nurses, etc) are not surprised by the move, as this practice has been going on for decades. With prescription drug abuse intensifying over the past 10 to 15 years, I am sure the instances have increased to levels higher than ever before. Keeping track of these folks is time-consuming and difficult at best. [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.

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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.

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