FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laxmaiah Manchikanti

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2004 Paducah, KY, Phone:(270) 554-8373

Prescription Drug Abuse Legislation Passes House

Paducah, KY - The House of Representatives on Tuesday, October 5, 2004 approved legislation that would allow electronic monitoring of certain prescription drugs to prevent over-prescribing and “doctor shopping” by drug abusers.

H.R. 3015, the “National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Act”, proposed by American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP) with support from Representatives Charlie Norwood, (R-GA) and Ted Strickland, (D-OH) sponsored by Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-KY. and Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J with over 50 other cosponsors was approved by the Energy and Commerce Committee by voice vote on Sept. 30, 2004.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ed Whitfield, (R-KY) and Rep. Frank Pallone, (D-NJ), is designed to prevent “doctor-shopping” — the practice of getting prescriptions from several doctors — and to guard against prescription conflicts for legitimate patients. "Without a system like the one the House passed today, people addicted to prescription drugs could still cross state lines to visit multiple doctors and thus thwart the system," said Whitfield. "I will now begin the task of working with my colleagues in the Senate to pass similar legislation."

Speaking in support of this legislation, Rep. Pallone recognized the lobbying efforts of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians. Pallone said, “I applaud the leadership of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians for working with Congress in this significant public-health initiative.” The House passage of NASPER culminates a multi-year grassroots effort by ASIPP members nationwide to educate and persuade Congress of the need for a nationwide prescription drug monitoring program.

Under the bill, states would be required to create programs to monitor the abuse and diversion of prescription drugs. The approved bill represents a compromise between H.R. 3870, offered by Rep. Charles Norwood (R-Ga.), and H.R. 5503, which was offered by Reps. Ed Whitfield (R-KY.) and Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.).

Currently, twenty-one states have prescription drug monitoring programs. However, information is not shared between states; therefore, doctors cannot view what other prescriptions a patient was given elsewhere.

The House approved the measure, which was amended since approval by the House Energy and Commerce Committee on September, 30, 2004.

The Senate, Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee has been urged to act on legislation requiring states to create programs to monitor the abuse and diversion of prescription drugs, but must ensure that privacy safeguards are in place, witnesses said at a Sept. 23 Senate hearing (185 DER A-37, 09/24/04).

###