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File photo.
(File)
Pennsylvania on Thursday will officially launch its long-awaited prescription drug monitoring database, giving the state what's considered an essential tool in fighting the opioid painkiller and heroin crisis.
The electronic database will enable doctors to go online and quickly see if a patient is getting prescription drugs from more than one doctor -- an act known as "doctor shopping" that's a common tactic among addicts. The database is also intended to show prescribing patterns on the part of doctors that could be a sign of over-prescribing, or running a "pill mill" to supply addicts or dealers.
The database will hold information about drugs from Schedule II, which includes many prescription painkillers, through Schedule V, which contains narcotics such as cough medicines containing codeine which are less-commonly abused. Pennsylvania previously tracked Schedule II drugs, but the database was only available to law enforcement.
Pennsylvania becomes the 49th state to operate such a database, seen as a necessary tool in responding to the addiction crisis that typically begins with addiction to a prescription painkiller such as Oxycontin, Vicodin or Percocet and often leads to heroin.
Doctors and pharmacists have access to the database, as do coroners and law enforcement after obtaining a court order.
Doctors who see signs of addiction among patients are expected to refer them to drug treatment. Supporters of the database have stressed the goal is to help addicts recover, not to arrest them.
Still, the database has downsides. Doctors are ethically bound to stop prescribing drugs to someone they believe is an addict. Some addicts might not be able to get into treatment immediately, or will choose not to seek treatment. That's expected to force some to buy pills on the street or switch to heroin, putting them a higher risk of overdose.
State Sen. Pat Vance, R-Cumberland, the main sponsor of the bill that created the database, acknowledged it might lead to an initial "surge" of people buying drugs on the street or switching to heroin.
But since the vast majority of heroin addicts first become addicted to a prescription painkiller, the database is expected to ultimately reduce the number of addicts and overdoses and save lives. "It's not a miracle. I want everyone to know that," Vance said. "But in the long run, this is all about giving patients care, and it is all of our responsibility to make sure they can get some help."
Doctors are required to check the database upon initially prescribing drugs to a patient, and again if they ever suspect the patient is addicted or illegally diverting drugs.
Information will be entered into the database by pharmacists, and include information about the doctor and patient, the type of drug and the dosage.
Prior to Pennsylvania lawmakers approving the database in late 2014, Pennsylvania was viewed as having one of the weakest drug monitoring programs in the country.
The American Civil Liberties Union opposed the database, arguing it violates privacy and creates a risk of patient information being stolen.
There's also concern among people who depend on painkillers for legitimate conditions that the database will put a damper on doctors' willingness to prescribe them.