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Federal law aims more money at curbing prescription drug diversion

The AMA supports a new prescription-monitoring law, but some groups fear it will have a chilling effect on pain treatment.

By Kevin B. O'Reilly, amednews staff. Oct. 10, 2005.

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This fall's federal budget negotiations could net states as much as $60 million in grants to help them set up or enhance prescription-monitoring programs aimed at cutting down on the diversion of controlled drugs to the illegal market. The money is courtesy of a new law.

The Senate was unanimous in its support of the bill, the National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Act of 2005, or NASPER, and it passed the House of Representatives on a voice vote. President Bush signed the bill July 29.

Congress will determine how much money actually to allocate to the program. If funding is approved, states could start drawing on the $60 million pot in fiscal year 2006, and the money would be available through 2010.

On average, it costs $350,000 for a state to operate a prescription-monitoring program, says the Drug Enforcement Administration. But start-up costs can go much higher, with Kentucky spending $850,000 to gets its program off the ground in 1999.

Each state applying for funding would receive the same base amount, but an additional amount would be determined by the Health and Human Services Dept. The additional amount would be allocated based on the state's budget cost estimate to start or operate the program, and the number of pharmacies in the state.

Several physician groups, including the AMA, supported the bill. Physicians see it as a way to provide doctors with more information about the patients who come to them seeking controlled substances.