Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP)

The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) is a program developed to promote the public health and welfare by detecting diversion, abuse, and misuse of prescription medications classified as controlled substances under the Alabama Uniform Controlled Substances Act. Under the Code of Alabama, 1975, § 20-2-210, et seq., the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) was authorized to establish, create, and maintain a controlled substances prescription database program. Anyone who dispenses Class II, III, IV, V controlled substances is required to report daily the dispensing of these drugs to the database. 

Goals

The goals of the Alabama Prescription Drug Monitoring Program are:

• To provide a source of information for practitioners and pharmacists regarding the controlled substance use of a patient;
• To reduce prescription drug abuse by providers and patients;
• To reduce time and effort to explore leads and assess the merits of possible drug diversion cases; and
• To educate physicians, pharmacists, policymakers, law enforcement, and the public regarding the diversion, abuse, and misuse of controlled substances.

The Alabama Prescription Drug Monitoring Program is part of the ADPH Pharmacy Division.

Insights on Prescribing and Dispensing Controlled Substances Mini Conferences

The Pharmacy Division sponsored three (3) continuing education events over the summer. This training opportunity highlighted numerous state and federal laws/regulations relate to controlled substances, which can be confusing to prescribers and dispensers. This program was aimed to clarify those rules and regulations, as well as best practices.

Target Audience:

This knowledge-based course is intended for Pharmacists (ACPE), Pharmacy Technicians (ACPE), Physicians (ACCME), Physician Assistants (ACCME), Nurse Practitioners (AACME), and Dentists (AL board approval).

Learning Objectives:
1. Review rules and regulations related to controlled substances.
2. Discuss differences in state and federal rules and regulations related to controlled substances.
3. Examine best practices for prescribing and dispensing controlled substances.

We are planning to make this training available online in the coming months and will provide that information when available.

This project is supported by the Alabama Department of Public Health through a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.