Pubdate: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 Source: Charleston Daily Mail (WV) Copyright: 2002 Charleston Daily Mail Contact: http://www.dailymail.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/76 NEW LAW TAKES AIM AT 'DOCTOR SHOPPING' Gov. Bob Wise has signed a bill that requires pharmacists to report prescriptions they fill for OxyContin and other controlled substances. The new law, signed by the governor Friday, adds schedule III and IV drugs to a central repository that will allow physicians to ensure that patients aren't getting the same medicine from more than one doctor, according to a news release from the governor's communications office. "The bill was designed to prevent doctor shopping while still respecting and preserving the patient's right to obtain doctor-prescribed pain medication," Wise said. "The new law will also help law enforcement access these records after they've established probable cause." The Legislature passed a similar bill in 2001, but Wise vetoed the measure because it didn't adequately protect the privacy concerns of patients, according to the release. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom