Prescription Drug Abuse

Another preventive measure to tackle the issue of prescription drug abuse is the regulation in monitoring the system of prescribers and individuals who receive the prescribing. Right now, the system lacks uniformity and scrutiny in the integration process of prescription medications among patients. This is often the root to overprescribing and wrongful prescriptions. Other than that, the current system needs more control in the management of medications. The government still has a huge gap in identifying different distributors such as wholesalers and retailers of each prescription drugs. Therefore, a tighter measure in monitoring the person who creates those medications, distributor of the medication itself, and patients who receive those medications …show more content…
Moreover, the states itself should have an online database to keep track of each prescribed medicines. Policy makers should enforce a legislation where each pharmacy is required to have a well established computer systems which directly links to the online databases. Although many problem about privacy may arise with the rising use of electronic health records, the benefits of this new policy will definitely outweigh the concurring losses on prescription drug abuse. The legislation can work out an appropriate measure that doesn’t exploit a patient’s privacy and as well help organize the cluttered monitoring system. A stricter pharmacy will eliminate forged prescriptions, since there’s an establishment of computer database which keeps track of prescriptions. The computer based system can readily identify healthcare providers and patients and detect misguided supply of medicine in pharmacies. The pharmacy itself can even give out prescription pads that have a uniform format nationwide to quickly detect unlicensed …show more content…
Since many physicians or upcoming health care professionals lack the knowledge of handling with prescription drug abuse, there should be a stricter training program around prescription drugs. Many concentrate on the problem of illicit drugs and often underestimate the harm of low degree medications. So, there should be a provision of technical assistance to regulate clinics and support prescription drug abuse related training. It is important to prevent diversion whilst ensuring that prescription drugs are available to those who need them. By distinguishing between high risk low value and high risk high value medications, pharmacists will be able to distribute prescription drugs more efficiently. High risk low value drugs are those that have intoxicating, sedating, euphoric qualities, and prescribed at high dosages but have low therapeutic value. While, high risk high value drugs are those crucial for treating specific illness, produce dependence, intoxicating effect, and contribute severe morbidity. To understand the science behind drug abuse, scientists can potentially produce new prescription medicine with smaller potential for abuse. With higher law enforcement and stricter control on prescribing medicine, guidance on new drug formulations could be applied. As a result, the market will have smaller amount of high risk low value

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