Serial Numbers for Dangerous Drug Prescriptions

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, April 22, 2011
By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Good morning, Jim. On February 1st Senator Buddy Carter introduced S.B. 36 and it passed in March by huge margins. S.B. 36 creates the Electronic Database Review Advisory Committee, with nine members who will be appointed for three-year terms and meet at least once a year, without compensation or expense money. The committee will establish and maintain an electronic database to record the dispensing of Schedule II, III, IV or V controlled substances. The stated goal is to reduce drug abuse, promote the proper use of medications and reduce prescription duplication and over prescribing of dangerous drugs.

After it becomes law July 1st, pharmacists cannot fill prescriptions for more than 60 units of a drug in Schedules II, III and IV. With 55 drugs listed in Schedule II, you’ll recognize some of them, such as opium and opium derivatives, cocaine, coca leaves and their derivatives; codeine, hydrocodone, morphine and oxycodone. Another category of dangerous drugs called Schedule III drugs includes testosterone and ketamine, among others. Drugs in Schedule IV are those that not only stimulate or depress the central nervous system, but also cause hallucinations.

Effective October 1st, hard copy prescriptions for drugs written in Georgia must be on a board-approved security pad or paper that contains an identifying lot number and all the pages must be sequentially numbered, beginning with number one. Also, each page must be affixed with a special seal of approval. Anyone picking up a Schedule II drug must present a government issued photo ID.

Violators will be guilty of a misdemeanor or felony. Punishment for felonies begins at one to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine, but incrementally increase until the sentence is two to ten years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 or both. When the data base is up and running, each prescription for dangerous drugs must provide a minimum of 15 designated bits of identifying information and a serial number to allow tracking of the total transaction. For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.