By: Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
As previously reported, the recent rise in violence against pharmacies (by people in search of narcotic medications) has riled the New York State legislature into action. \u00a0The attorney general has also joined the fray in the fight against prescription drug abuse. \u00a0Last June, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, proposed setting up a new program known as \u201cI-STOP\u201d- Internet System for Tracking Over Prescribing – to combat the wave of prescription drug abuse. \u00a0U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and various experts have recently endorsed this program. \u00a0The program is still in its initial phase of development, and the passing of new legislation and regulations are required to make this idea operational.<\/p>\n
The concept of I-STOP is to establish an online database that would track controlled substance prescriptions for each individual. \u00a0This would constitute a prescription-monitoring program (PMP). \u00a0Under current laws in New York State, all pharmacies must provide information on all controlled substances that they dispense to the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (BNE), which operates under the state\u2019s Department of Health (DOH), on the 15th<\/sup> day of the following month after dispensing the drug. \u00a0The problem arises from the fact that despite this data, many providers cannot or do not access the data. \u00a0In addition, patients are only \u201cflagged\u201d if they meet certain criteria, such as filling two prescriptions for controlled substances from two different prescribers or at two different pharmacies. \u00a0Furthermore, doctors do not provide any information on prescriptions they have written by hand. \u00a0These limitations render the current prescription-monitoring program in New York rather inefficient. \u00a0Under these conditions, the need for a program like I-STOP has risen.<\/p>\n I-STOP would require the Department of Health to set up an online database that would track all controlled substances. \u00a0This program would require prescribers to review a patient\u2019s profile for controlled medications and put in any prescriptions they write for controlled substances as soon as they give the prescription to the patient.\u00a0 It would also require pharmacists to review the patients\u2019 controlled medication profiles prior to dispensing and to report the dispensing of any controlled medications at the time of dispensing. \u00a0The program would ensure the privacy of the individual by prohibiting the disclosure of the information by any of the parties with access to the information. \u00a0It imposes new penalties for those who disclose the information not acting in \u201cgood faith\u201d as part of their duties. \u00a0Unfortunately, there is no plan as of yet to integrate this system or create a national system where controlled medications may be monitored across state lines. \u00a0Forty-three other states already have prescription monitoring programs. \u00a0Sharing this information would discourage abusers from crossing state lines in order to get prescriptions for controlled substances.<\/p>\n I-STOP is currently is under legislative review. \u00a0Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island) is sponsoring it in the State Senate and Assemblyman Michael Cusick (D-Staten Island) in the State Assembly. \u00a0Both versions of the bill are currently in the health committees of the respective chambers of the New York State Legislature. \u00a0The bill has support in both houses with 33 Senate members and 48 Assembly members co-sponsoring the bill.<\/p>\n The attorney general\u2019s office has set up a website where people can share their stories in dealing with the drug abuse epidemic currently plaguing the state. \u00a0This new website puts a \u201chuman face\u201d to the problem in order to spur other members of the community and legislature into supporting the bill. It is available at http:\/\/www.ag.ny.gov\/online_forms\/istop.jsp<\/a>.<\/p>\n