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Drug Diversion and Abuse: The Future of Rx Abuse

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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…]

Drug Diversion and Abuse: OxyContin and the FDA

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By now you are all well aware of the FDA ruling in April 2013 on the issue of whether OxyContin has abuse-deterrent properties since the reformulation, and if it does, whether the generic companies that want to manufacture an extended-release oxycodone can go forward without those properties.

Just prior to this ruling, I had prepared a presentation on law enforcement’s perspective as to whether the reformulation of OxyContin was working or not. As you may remember, the reformulated product appeared on retail pharmacy shelves in August 2010. Since there had been extensive abuse of the old product, it was interesting to see what impact the reformulation had on the product, and we knew it would not be difficult to compare “apples to apples.” [Read more…]

Update on Abuse-Resistant Formulations

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As I write this article, a lot is going on in the prescription opiate world, with the main topic being abuse-resistant formulations. In looking at the pros and cons, the only real true data that I know of revolve around Purdue Pharma’s OxyContin, an extended-release oxycodone product that pharmacists are very familiar with in the marketplace.

In August 2010, a new formulation of the drug was introduced. On the surface, the pill doesn’t look any different from the old one except for the indicia change from “OC” to “OP”—and perhaps the slightly larger 80-mg dose. The colors and strengths are identical and the same oxycodone is present inside the pill. The reformulation isn’t remarkable on the outside, but on the inside is new technology that greatly reduces the ability of a person to compromise the new OxyContin. [Read more…]

Rx Abuse and Diversion 2013

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As I have stated many times before in this column, I am the president of the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI), a nonprofit organization made up of individuals involved in the problem of prescription drug abuse. We recently concluded our 2012 annual conference in Nashville, Tennessee, and it made me think about the upcoming year and our challenges.

One of the questions we get from different entities is “What is the stance of NADDI on abuse-resistant opiates?” A few years ago when this question first came up, I thought just for a second that maybe it was some kind of trick question! This not only gets asked by multiple entities in different facets of industry, but also by the press. [Read more…]

Drug Diversion and Abuse: Finding Balance in the Rx World

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I give a presentation that I have done for many years titled, “Drug Diversion vs. Pain Management: Finding a Balance.” It is primarily meant for health professionals who are engaged in providing pain management on some level. I talk about the necessity for health professionals to be informed about the methods of diversion and the many scams that are perpetrated against them—and how to deal with this major problem.

The other part of my program is to remind the health professionals that the majority of their patients are legitimate, and how important it is to not negatively impact these patients by seeing everybody who walks through their door as a suspect. I encourage them to use their education, training, and experience to make sound judgments when prescribing opiates. I then give examples of health professional cases that have been prosecuted, hopefully demonstrating how these offenders were grossly out of the scope of anyone’s idea of legitimate medical practice. [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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