Delaware News

Legislation aimed at combating prescription drug abuse advances in General Assembly

Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | Date Posted: Tuesday, June 18, 2013



Dover – Legislation developed by Attorney General Biden’s office to strengthen Delaware’s prescription monitoring efforts passed the Senate today and now heads to the State House for consideration.  Senate Bill 119 was introduced by two legislators who work as nurses: Senator Bethany-Hall Long, D-Middletown, chairwoman of the Senate’s Health and Social Services Committee, and Representative Rebecca Walker, D-Middletown.  It responds to the recognition that increasing numbers of addicts are turning to emergency rooms and urgent care clinics to obtain narcotics as enhanced enforcement has limited previous sources of drugs.  The legislation was developed by Biden’s office after consultations with regulators, medical professionals, legislative leaders and other stakeholders.  Specifically, Senate Bill 119:

  • Limits all medical facilities except licensed pharmacies from dispending more than a 72-hour supply of a controlled substance to patients
  • Requires all “dispensers” to enter any prescription of a controlled substance into the PMP, just as pharmacies are currently required to do, and
  • Requires the Department of Health and Social Services to establish a uniform protocol to guide caregivers regarding the proper disposal of controlled substances upon a patient’s death.  Hospice care providers would also assist family members and caregivers to inventory and dispose of a patient’s remaining supply of controlled substances upon that patient’s death

 

“I applaud the Senate for recognizing that we must enhance our efforts to ensure that addicts and dealers are not abusing the system to gain access to dangerous narcotic drugs,” Biden said.  This is a crucial step toward successfully combating the growing epidemic of prescription drug abuse that also ensures that patients who need these medications for legitimate treatment purposes continue to have access to the.”

 

“Coming up with uniform rules to make sure drugs are properly disposed of after someone dies is important because those drugs have been known to find their way into the wrong hands which is dangerous and potentially deadly,” said Sen. Bethany Hall-Long, D-Middletown, who sponsored the law. “We’re also taking steps to make sure that facilities and persons who dispense drugs to patients in emergency situations are doing so on a limited basis until they can get a prescription filled at a drug store.”

 

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Legislation aimed at combating prescription drug abuse advances in General Assembly

Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | Date Posted: Tuesday, June 18, 2013



Dover – Legislation developed by Attorney General Biden’s office to strengthen Delaware’s prescription monitoring efforts passed the Senate today and now heads to the State House for consideration.  Senate Bill 119 was introduced by two legislators who work as nurses: Senator Bethany-Hall Long, D-Middletown, chairwoman of the Senate’s Health and Social Services Committee, and Representative Rebecca Walker, D-Middletown.  It responds to the recognition that increasing numbers of addicts are turning to emergency rooms and urgent care clinics to obtain narcotics as enhanced enforcement has limited previous sources of drugs.  The legislation was developed by Biden’s office after consultations with regulators, medical professionals, legislative leaders and other stakeholders.  Specifically, Senate Bill 119:

  • Limits all medical facilities except licensed pharmacies from dispending more than a 72-hour supply of a controlled substance to patients
  • Requires all “dispensers” to enter any prescription of a controlled substance into the PMP, just as pharmacies are currently required to do, and
  • Requires the Department of Health and Social Services to establish a uniform protocol to guide caregivers regarding the proper disposal of controlled substances upon a patient’s death.  Hospice care providers would also assist family members and caregivers to inventory and dispose of a patient’s remaining supply of controlled substances upon that patient’s death

 

“I applaud the Senate for recognizing that we must enhance our efforts to ensure that addicts and dealers are not abusing the system to gain access to dangerous narcotic drugs,” Biden said.  This is a crucial step toward successfully combating the growing epidemic of prescription drug abuse that also ensures that patients who need these medications for legitimate treatment purposes continue to have access to the.”

 

“Coming up with uniform rules to make sure drugs are properly disposed of after someone dies is important because those drugs have been known to find their way into the wrong hands which is dangerous and potentially deadly,” said Sen. Bethany Hall-Long, D-Middletown, who sponsored the law. “We’re also taking steps to make sure that facilities and persons who dispense drugs to patients in emergency situations are doing so on a limited basis until they can get a prescription filled at a drug store.”

 

# # #

image_printPrint


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.