Remedies for an Escalating Prescription Drug Problem?

In response to a sharp rise in prescription drug abuse within the last decade, many legislators are taking action. In Washington State, doctors may soon face stricter requirements on writing opiate painkiller prescriptions, such as a compulsory third-party examination of patients who ask for more powerful doses of a drug but don’t exhibit an improvement in their condition. Other states will be monitoring the impact of Washington’s proposed measure, which is intended to reduce prescription drug abuse and overdose deaths that may have been prevented by stricter standards on the doctors who make these powerful analgesics available to patients.
 
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is also wrestling with the issue of tighter restrictions on physicians. In fact, a measure designed to reduce prescription drug abuse was recently turned down by the FDA advisory committee. Although not mandating it, the proposal outlined that physicians were strongly recommended to complete voluntary training for the prescription of strong painkillers. A majority of the group’s members felt the plan was not strict enough to see a significant reduction in the abuse of substances such as fentanyl, OxyContin, and methadone.
 
Though the FDA measure failed, U.S. Representative William Delahunt of Massachusetts is still looking to the federal government for support, calling the prescription drug problem in his state “an epidemic.” This spring he organized a Statehouse roundtable, consisting of doctors, legislators, and individuals addicted to prescription drugs. His aim was to develop ideas about how the Capitol could help his state in the matter.
 
Specifically, Delahunt seeks assistance from D.C. that would aid Massachusetts in its execution of suggestions from the state’s OxyContin and Heroin Commission. This committee has initiated legislation that, among other things, would permit Massachusetts physicians to override insurance limitations placed on the treatment plans for individuals addicted to opiate-based drugs. Delahunt explains that the majority of illegally purchased prescription opiates can be traced to Florida, where “pill mills” thrive due to inadequate laws.
 
Some legislation related to prescription drug abuse, however, is muddied due to the fact that it’s often harder to measure than other types of substance abuse. For example, even though drunk-driving statistics are decreasing, there is a rise in the number of individuals caught driving while affected by prescription drugs. However, while there is a scientific way to quantify alcohol intoxication levels, no such scale is in place for anti-anxiety medications, prescription painkillers, and other drugs that can be legally obtained. The issue is further complicated by the effects of interaction between multiple drugs and/or alcohol, which can vary widely from person to person.
 
Some states have imposed laws stating that any trace of illegal drugs found in an individual’s system is grounds for a charge of intoxication. But where does that leave the problem of misused prescription drugs, which can be legally obtained?
 
All these issues are making it difficult to pinpoint and take legal action against cases of drugged-driving. In instances where offenders are brought to court, defendants frequently testify that they were unaware of driving under the influence, and juries often find in their favor.