EPIPHANY OF THE OBVIOUS: Governor of Florida Finally Agrees to Pill-mill Bill

Epiphany of the obvious: Governor of Florida Finally Agrees to Pill-mill Bill


Florida’s Governor Scott recently announced he was unleashing measures to shed Florida’s reputation as the pain pill capitol of the U.S.

It’s about time.

This new bill has provisions for Florida to finally get a prescription monitoring program. Florida is one of a handful of states that have not yet established and activated such databases, making it easier for people to go to more than one doctor to get prescriptions for large amount of opioids and other controlled substances. Often these medications are sold on the black market for a huge profit, not only in Florida, but also to its northern neighbors.

Wait a minute, you say. Didn’t I read something in your blog earlier this year about this Governor Scott? Why yes, yes this is the same Governor Scott who initially vetoed the prescription monitoring program bill for Florida last year. (see my petulant posting of March 8^th, 2011). Back then he said the state couldn’t afford the program.

In this new bill, $3 million will be earmarked for local law enforcement to implement some new laws. The governor’s bill added measures for administrative and criminal penalties for doctors who overprescribe narcotics. This is a little worrisome, depending on who gets to decide what constitutes overprescribing. In my state, the medical board makes this decision, by sending charts of the doctor being investigated for review by respected pain management doctors. I’m worried law enforcement may try to make decisions for which they aren’t qualified. The bill also seeks to limit the amount of opioids a pharmacy can dispense, and again I worry about who will be making the decision about how much is too much.

The procedure for pharmacy permits will be strengthened, which sounds like a good thing. Also, doctors won’t be allowed to dispense controlled substances from their office, a practice often seen in pill mills.

OK, so Governor Scott’s bill isn’t exactly what I would have chosen. And he did have to be shamed into taking action by other states’ governors and similar officials, who are sick of Florida’s mess bleeding into their states. And yes, Gil Kerlikowske, director of the White House Office of Drug Control Policy did call Florida “ground zero” in this nation’s prescription drug abuse epidemic.

But better late than never. This bill can save lives.



taken from JANABURSONS BLOG and the original link is:

http://janaburson.wordpress.com/2011/08/27/epiphany-of-the-obvious-governor-of-florida-finally-agrees-to-pill-mill-bill/