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Bill Would Require Drug Database Checks In Florida
March 21, 2013
Despite objections from physician groups, a House subcommittee Tuesday approved a bill that would require doctors to check a prescription-drug database before prescribing controlled substances.
HB 831, sponsored by Rep. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, deals with a database that began operating in 2011 as part of a state effort to crack down on abuse of prescription drugs such as painkillers. Fasano said current law does not require doctors to check the database before prescribing controlled substances. He said such a requirement would help prevent users from “doctor shopping” to get numerous prescriptions.
“The time will be … a matter of seconds to check a database to save a life,” Fasano said, before the Health Quality Subcommittee voted 11-1 to approve the measure.
But physician groups said the bill would go too far — for example, requiring doctors to check the database when they prescribe small amounts of controlled substances to patients who undergo minor procedures and are not in danger of abusing the drugs.
Chris Nuland, a lobbyist for the Florida chapters of the American College of Physicians and the American College of Surgeons, called the database a “wonderful tool” that maybe could be used more than it is now.
“But it is not appropriate in each and every circumstance, and, to do that, adds an extra layer of hassle, an extra layer of cost to the health-care system,” Nuland said.
The bill is next slated to go to the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee. A Senate bill (SB 1192) that would revise the database requirements is scheduled to be heard Wednesday in the Senate Health Policy Committee.
By The News Service of Florida
Comments
9 Responses to “Bill Would Require Drug Database Checks In Florida”
Once again we are letting government get into our business. Haven’t they proved that they can’t run their own household(the United States), so why do we let them try to run ours. People hurt those are facts, some people say you can’t die from hurting that’s not true so many people have to have pain medicine to improve their quality of life to make it bearable to work or function daily. Yes there are people that abuse the system but, that is part of it. Everyone wants to blame someone else take blame for your household. Leave the doctors alone to do their jobs & stand up & fight these intrusion bills the government is trying to force on us.
I don’t think there is an national database. My primary doctor in Alabama was telling me a few months ago that he can only see a database in Alavama. I see a pain management doctor in Florida. So I’m pretty sure that the doctors in Florida can only search in Florida. If was was “Doctor Shopping”, I could see a doctor in Alabama and a doctor in Florida and they wouldn’t know crap!! So what good is this bill going to do? BTW, my doctor in Alabama is my family doctor that sent me to my pain management doctor. And my pain management drug screens me, he checks my pee in his office and then ships it to Texas to a lab to check the levels of my meds.. So yes so doctors are doing things the right way!!
I watched my mother suffer for years due to back problems a single mother she would stand for hours then come home and not be able to take care of my younger siblings she was depressed it would not have hurt for her to have a few pain pills a month she suffered till one day I told her to stop apply for disability and guess what when she went before the hearing officer he could not understand why no one would help her he looked at her records and BAM approved! My mom worked a good job and then when she got approved she finally gets to live sure less money but its for the better. I hope others like her can get the same help really people pass all these laws so let them pay for the people who’s lives have to suffer. If someone wants to get high they are gonna find away people should not have to suffer because of people who could care less about them.
1. Once again we crucify people without all the facts.
The database is a wonderful tool, but it shouldn’t be made mandatory to check it every time. My clinic sees anywhere from 120-200 patients in a 12 hour day, and we do not prescribe narcotics for chronic problems. We do, however, treat acute injuries-and lots of them! If we had to check the database for each one of these patients, it would dramatically slow down care for those patients, as well as all the others who are waiting their turn. There is such a thing as using your professional judgement and that is just what we should be allowed to do. Unless you enjoy sitting for hours in a waiting room….
He was not SHUT DOWN. You have no idea what you are talking about.
One more freedom taken away. These people will find there pills head North to Alabama or Georgia. They may evev take up a more dangerous drug like meth, Heroine or crack. Needles and dumped meth labs in our neighborhoods. Not to mention that some people go crazy on these drugs. Has any one ever heard od a pill popper going crazy and hurting someone. I know that Ihaven’t. I may understand an emergi care or emergi room checking or a dr checking a new patient. Most people have a primary dr and these dr’s know thier patients just one more thing for the government to be in our lives about. Whereis our country really going?
@ Oversight,
You are another miss informed individual. The doctor in Jay was not handing out pain killers hand over fist. He was set-up, and was never found of any wrongdoing. It’s people like you that crucify before getting the facts.
If doctors were really concerned for their paitents, this would seem to be a no brainer, and all doctors would be eagerly willing to participate. But then there is the possibility that those good ol docs would be losing business like the one from Jay who was handing out pain killer scrips hand over fist before he was shut down.