Missouri launched a statewide prescription drug monitoring program Wednesday, two years after its legislation was signed into law.
In an effort to reduce the misuse and abuse of controlled substances, pharmacies are now required to document when they dispense any prescribed Schedule II, III or IV controlled substances to patients. Substances are classified by their potential for abuse and dependency. Schedule II drugs include OxyContin, Vicodin and Adderall, while examples of Schedule III are ketamine and Tylenol with codeine. Schedule IV substances include Xanax, Ambien and Valium.
The purpose of the program is to help prescribers, dispensers and health care providers identify patients who might be misusing prescription opioids or other controlled substances and who might be at risk for overdose, according to its website. Missouri was the last state to implement a prescription drug monitoring program.
After attempts to establish a similar program statewide were stalled, the St. Louis County Department of Public Health launched a local program in 2017 that other Missouri jurisdictions could opt into. The former St. Louis County program covered 85% of the state population through 75 participating jurisdictions, including Boone County. In the implementation of the new program, the St. Louis County program has dissolved, according to its website.
The prescription drug monitoring program began collecting individual dispensation information Aug. 28. Data will be deleted after three years from the date of dispensation. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, patient information is protected and not available to law enforcement.
Drug overdose is the No. 1 cause of death among adults 18 to 44 in Missouri, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. In 2022, Boone County had the eighth-highest number of mortalities attributed to drug overdose, according to DHSS. Of the 55 overdoses, 36 were opioid-related. Since enrolling in the St. Louis County program, Boone County saw a 66.9% decrease in dispensation of Schedule II to IV substances from 2017 to 2021, according to the St. Louis County Department of Public Health.
The Missouri Joint Oversight Task Force, established to oversee the state’s prescription drug monitoring program, selected Bamboo Health, previously used by St. Louis, as its vendor to administer the program. More than 40 states utilize Bamboo Health’s services, according to its website.
