Prescription Drug Task Force Wraps Up its Work

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs Prescription Drug Task Force held its final meeting Monday, with two subcommittees making recommendations on how to address the serious issue of prescription drug abuse throughout the county.

The 18-member Task Force, chaired by former Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty, and which began its work in mid-July earlier this year, received a number of recommendations from the Healthcare and Pharmacy Subcommitte and the Enforcement Subcommittee, all of which were accepted.

Last December, in an effort to curb the rising trend of illegal distribution of prescription drugs in Orange County, a Moratorium Ordinance on permits for new pain clinics and an outlawing of “cash only” transactions by pain management clinics was imposed. That moratorium was extended up to December 14, 2011.

A spokesperson from the Orange County Drug Office said, the moratorium could be extended further, allowing sufficient time for the Board of Orange County Commissioners to study the Task Force’s recommendations and for public hearings to be convened.

Once the Moratorium Ordinance is repealed, a new Pain Management Clinic Ordinance is expected to be passed by the Board to include requirements for new pain management clinics.

Provisions of the new ordinance include, new zoning and location requirements for pain clinics, as well as, use of the State’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program which was recently implemented.  The Prescription Drug Database is expected to serve as an effective tool in reducing successful doctor shopping, multiple prescriptions or multiple pharmacy filling of prescriptions, as the new ordinance makes it a requirement for physicians, physician’s assistants and pharmacists’ agents to check the database within 24 hours prior to prescribing any dangerous drugs to a patient.

Among the Healthcare and Pharmacy Subcommittee recommendations are:

•  Increase Healthcare Provider Education for a number of groups, including emergency physicians, Florida Academy of Family Physicians and UCF College of Medicine
•  Increase prescription drug education and awareness for drug retail industry and independent/community pharmacies
•  Develop a strategic plan to increase prescription drug education & awareness on non-medical use and misuse of prescription drugs.
•  Develop an evidence-based prescription drug public awareness campaign
•  Promote and advertise Prescription Take Back Days in the community to increase proper disposal of unused and unwanted prescription medications.