Pubdate: Fri, 11 Mar 2016
Source: Sacramento Bee (CA)
Copyright: 2016 The Sacramento Bee
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/0n4cG7L1
Website: http://www.sacbee.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/376

CALIFORNIA'S BEST TOOL FOR ENDING OPIOID ABUSE IS UNDERUSED

CURES 2.0 Can Help Ferret Out Doctor-Shopping Addicts

But Only 34% of Doctors, Pharmacists Are Registered for It

When California is out of sync with the rest of the nation, it's 
usually because we're ahead, not behind the curve. But when it comes 
to curbing abuse of opioid painkillers, we're lagging, particularly 
in our prescription monitoring program.

At issue is the online state database that tracks the dispensing of 
controlled substances, seeking to prevent addicts from hopping from 
doctor to doctor to fill prescriptions. It's a useful tool. But as of 
last month, only 34 percent of California medical professionals 
licensed to prescribe or dispense controlled substances, including 
opioids, had registered to use it.

The deadline to do so was originally Jan. 1. But because of 
complaints from doctors and hospital systems about having to upgrade 
their Web browsers, the deadline was bumped back to July 1. There 
also have been complaints about technical malfunctions with the 
registration process, making it hard for some to sign up.

Other states are moving ahead with their prescription monitoring 
programs. New Jersey and Arizona, for instance, are not only pushing 
prescribers and pharmacists to register, but requiring them in some 
cases to check the databases before giving patients opioids.

A bill that would require such checks in California has stalled over 
opposition from the California Medical Association. Yet nationally, 
the American Medical Association is pushing doctors to start using 
monitoring programs as part of a solution to end opioid abuse.

The AMA is right. Addiction has reached epidemic proportions, with 
overdoses claiming more lives than car crashes. Indeed, debate 
arising out of the presidential primaries in hard-hit states such as 
New Hampshire led the U.S. Senate to pass a broad drug treatment and 
prevention bill on Thursday.

Opioids are prescribed twice as often as other controlled substances, 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found. Yet, with drug 
monitoring programs in place, states such as Ohio and New York have 
reported huge drops in doctor-hopping patients. Their regions have 
drawn more attention, but opioids are hurting California cities, too.

The great irony is that California created the country's first 
prescription monitoring program, way back in 1939. CURES, short for 
the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System, 
not long ago required prescribers and pharmacists to fax requests to 
review a patient's history.

The upgraded, online version, CURES 2.0, is obviously faster and more 
effective. Physicians and pharmacists should register for it without 
delay, and efforts should be made to eliminate technical glitches 
with the registration process. The lives of too many addicts who slip 
between the cracks are at stake.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom