Website Aims to Prevent Over-Prescribing Drugs

A Wisconsin website known as “Prescription Drug Monitoring Program” is helping doctors prevent over-prescribing.

The website is aimed to stop heroin abuse before it even begins.

According to doctors, nearly 80 percent of heroin users begin by abusing prescription drugs.

It rolled out a new look and features today. Doctors can track what kinds of medications other doctors are prescribing and how often the prescriptions are filled.

"If a patient is getting a sedative and you're prescribing a narcotic, it's got a history alert that comes up. So it actually informs the prescriber to watch out - this might be over-sedating."

Beginning April 1, doctors and pharmacists will be required to check the database before prescribing.

Law enforcement can also have access to the website.

Should a person be arrested for prescription drug abuse, doctors who write their prescriptions will be notified by the site.

Share this article: