U.S. drug prevention, treatment, enforcement agencies take on "doctor shoppers", "pill mills"

U.S. drug prevention, treatment, enforcement agencies take on "doctor shoppers", "pill mills"

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 1, 2004 -- The U.S. administration has unveiled a coordinated drug strategy to confront the illegal diversion and abuse of prescription drugs. Today, President Bush's "Drug Czar", John Walters, joined FDA Commissioner Mark McClellan, DEA Administrator Karen Tandy, Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona, and Representative Tom Davis to release the President's National Drug Control Strategy, which outlines the extent of prescription drug abuse in the United States and new Federal programs designed to address the problem.

Director Walters said, "The non-medical use of prescription drugs has become an increasingly widespread and serious problem in this country; one that calls for immediate action. The Federal government is embarking on a comprehensive effort to ensure that potentially addictive medications are dispensed and used safely and effectively."

Recent data indicates that prescription drug abuse, particularly of opioid pain killers, has increased at an alarming rate over the last ten years:

• Non-medical use of narcotic pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives ranks second (behind marijuana) as a category of illicit drug abuse among adults and youth;
• In 2002, 6.2 million Americans were current abusers of prescription drugs;13.7 percent of youth between the ages of 12 and 17 have abused prescription drugs at least once in their lifetimes; and
• Emergency room visits resulting from narcotic pain relievers abuse have increased 163 percent since 1995.

More than 10 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. The Strategy seeks to balance the need for effective pain management therapies with the prevention of misuse, abuse, and diversion of psychotherapeutic drugs.

"Many Americans benefit from the appropriate use of prescription pain killers, but, when abused, they can be as addictive and dangerous as illegal drugs," Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said. "This new, coordinated Federal initiative will help us stop and prevent prescription drug abuse, and the harm it can cause."

The National Drug Control Strategy brings the efforts of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), federal substance abuse prevention and treatment agencies, and law enforcement to bear on the factors contributing to rising prescription drug abuse. The Strategy incorporates education of medical professionals and consumers, outreach to businesses involved in Internet commerce, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and pharmacies, as well as increased investigation and enforcement activities. New programs include:

• Careful consideration of labeling and commercial promotion of opiate drug products;
• Ensuring wider dissemination of education and training on appropriate pain management and opioid treatment procedures for physicians authorized to prescribe controlled substances;
• Increasing the number of state Prescription Monitoring Programs, which detect suspicious prescriptions and individuals redeeming prescriptions from multiple physicians ("doctor shopping") to identify abusers; and
• Using web crawler/data mining technology to identify, investigate and prosecute "pill mills" - Internet pharmacies that provide controlled substances illegally.

"When used correctly, opioids play a very important role in the management of pain. FDA's job is to maximize the potential benefits that patients receive from these drugs, while, at the same time, minimizing the risks associated with these products," said FDA Commissioner Mark B. McClellan, M.D., Ph.D. "FDA takes its responsibility in meeting this challenge very seriously."

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in conjunction with the FDA, will implement additional investigative efforts and enforcement actions against the illegal sale, use, or diversion of controlled substances, including those occurring over the Internet. Many of these e-pharmacies are foreign-based and expose the purchaser to potentially counterfeit, contaminated, or adulterated products.

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