Bureau of Justice Assistance - Center for Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement

What Are Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs?

The diversion of prescription drugs is the channeling of legal pharmaceuticals for illegal purposes. This practice has become so common that prescription drugs are currently the most commonly abused form of drugs in the United States. In fact, prescription drug abuse has even surpassed the abuse of cocaine and heroine combined. In response to this growing threat, efforts to curtail the abuse of prescriptions drugs have increased at both the state and federal levels. One of the tools utilized by states to combat this problem is Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs). Diversion of prescription drugs addressed by PDMPs include: doctor shopping (i.e., use of different doctors to obtain multiple prescriptions), prescription forgery rings, counterfeiting, unlawful sale of prescription drugs, illegally prescribing and dispensing of medications by practitioners and pharmacists, illegal internet pharmacies, and drug theft.

PDMPs are systems designed to monitor how prescription drugs are prescribed, dispensed, and used. At the core of PDMPs are databases that are used to collect and store information pertaining to prescription drugs. This information includes patient, practitioner and pharmacy identifying data as well as drug information. While all PDMPs collect information from dispensers, only some collect prescription data from prescribers. Generally, prescription information is transmitted electronically to the PDMP within a legislatively mandated period of time. These data can then be reviewed for the purpose of identifying potential cases of prescription drug diversion or misuse. In many states, the PDMPs are used by medical professionals to help identify and treat patients who may be intentionally or unintentionally misusing prescription medications. All PDMPs have safeguards in place to protect patient confidentiality and permit only those individuals and agencies authorized by state laws or regulations access to the data.

Due to state control over PDMPs, the systems are not standardized. While some PDMPs are used more proactively to search for cases of misuse, others are strictly reactive and are only used to respond to reported cases of misuse. Depending on the state, PDMPs may also vary in terms of the types of drugs for which they collect prescription data. While all PDMPs collect information pertaining to the prescribing and dispensing of certain classes of drugs (Schedule II), only some collect this information for all classes of prescription drugs. For more information on the classification of controlled substances, see the Drug Enforcement Administration's Office of Diversion Control. Although differences exist among states, states are exploring ways to standardize their data to support information sharing among the states. For instance, the IJIS interstate Prescription Drug Monitoring Program information exchange project will provide recommendations to assist states in implementing efficient data exchange models for information sharing.

Despite the variability in PDMPs, most states use PDMPs to:

Prevent and reduce prescription drug abuse,
Identify and investigate potential cases of diversion (e.g., by pinpointing and tracking possible illegal activity),
Identify and investigate professional misconduct (identifying inappropriate prescribing and dispensing),
Disseminate educational information (e.g., by alerting the public to prescription drug use trends or to provide feedback to prescribers and dispensers),
Promote public health initiatives (e.g., by monitoring trends and addressing prescribing and dispensing issues), and
Implement early intervention and prevention programming (e.g., by identifying those in need of early assessment and treatment or targeting efforts at certain high-risk populations).

Following the implementation of a PDMP system, states provide training to prescribers, dispensers, law enforcement, and the public to promote understanding of the program and use of the system. Many PDMPs produce regular reports to identify suspected prescription fraud, criminal enterprises, doctor shoppers and professional misconduct related to prescription drugs.

BJA-Supported Resources Related to Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs

Alliance of States with Prescription Monitoring Programs
Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
IJIS Institute Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Information Exchange Project

Other Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Resources

National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws
DEA Office of Diversion Control
University of Wisconsin Pain and Policy Studies Group
The Researched Abuse, Diversion and Addiction-Related Surveillance System
National Association of States Controlled Substances Authorities

State Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Resources

Alabama
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
Mississippi
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wyoming

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