Seniors over 65 now constitute 13 percent of our population in the U.S. and one third of those using prescriptions. Oftentimes, seniors taking multiple prescriptions are seeing many different doctors, which puts them at risk of prescription drug abuse and possibly subjects them to overdose and dangerous drug interactions. According to a recent online post, some of these overdose deaths were by accident but others were not as innocent, says Russel Falck, an associate professor at Wright State and also CITAR’s associate director.

Falck says seniors have access to more prescription drugs and they might be using them in a way that is not in their best medical interest. According to the CDC, overdose deaths have skyrocketed in the past 10 years and are certainly a public health problem of epidemic proportion.

Ohio doctor, Orman Hall, said we are essentially treating chronic pain with a pharmacy-grade heroin and he believes this is an extremely dangerous practice. Hall goes on to say that most constituents in his state, let alone seniors, have no understanding of just how dangerous and addictive these prescription opiates are.

SAMHSA says that of seniors, close to 80 percent have a minimum of one health condition that is chronic, and half of them have a minimum of two health conditions that are chronic.

Opioids are often prescribed to treat moderate to severe pain, and include methadone, morphine, and oxycodone (OxyContin). The FDA reports that 29 million Americans aged 12 and older abused these types of opioids in 2002, which increased to more than 33 million in 2007. The FDA also estimates that opioids were involved in nearly 50,000 emergency room visits in 2006.

Lynn R. Webster, MD, FACPM, FASAM, medical director and founder of Lifetree Clinical Research and Pain Clinic in Salt Lake City, Utah, said that preventing avoidable deaths from opioid therapy should be a main priority for everyone in the pain medicine field, and that the researchers’ primary objective is to increase understanding of the risk factors involved in opioid-related deaths and discovering methods that could lessen these negative effects.

One study in the reports shares the findings of epidemiologists at the Utah Department of Health, who have studied the adverse effects of opioid medication since 2004. Led by Christina A. Porucznik, PhD, MSPH, of the Division of Public Health at the University of Utah, the researchers examined vital statistics, medical examiner records, emergency department diagnoses, the state prescription registry, and more. Dr. Porucznik said that they found that prescription drug-related harm, including death, in Utah primarily involved opioids. She added that more research is needed to identify risk factors that contribute to opioid-related injury or death.

Another study examined medical literature and state and federal government sources to asses the frequency, demographics, and risk factors associated with overdose deaths caused by opioids. Led by Dr. Lynn R. Webster, the researchers discovered a pattern of increasing opioid-related overdose deaths, beginning in the early 2000s. Although methadone made up less then 5 percent of the opioids prescribed, one-third of opioid-related deaths were attributed to methadone.

The researchers determined that the root causes of methadone-related deaths included physician error, patient non-adherence to the medication regimen, and unanticipated health problems. Some insurance companies also require that methadone be prescribed to manage pain over other opioid therapy, which could lead to greater mortality risk.

Additional risk factors associated with opioid-related deaths included sleep-disordered breathing and use of other drugs that depress the central nervous system (such as alcohol, benzodiazepines, and antidepressants). About two-thirds of opioid-related deaths were found to be caused by opioids other than methadone.

Dr. Webster said that patients with depression, anxiety, or other mental health problems who also have chronic pain need therapy that minimizes the risks associated with opioid therapy, adding that it is difficult to safely treat chronic pain in patients with serious mental health issues. Because of this, it is imperative to find a balance between treating pain and preventing harm.

Source: Science Daily, Preventing Avoidable Opioid-Related Deaths Top Priority for Pain Medicine Field, June 13, 2011
 

To gain perspective on just how addictive opioids can be, consider that there were 2 million people last month who were reliant on the medication, according to Dr. Petros Levounis, director of The Addiction Institute of New York. Figures for heroin use were only 400,000 individuals by comparison. Opioids can also increase ones risk for heart disease, bone fractions, and potentially even death.

However, a new non-addictive pain-killer is on the horizon. Researchers at Stony Brook University say that their research has spawned a drug, currently undergoing clinical trials in England and Canada that will be introduced to the U.S. market soon. The team pinpointed a sodium ion channel involved with transmitting pain and helped develop a drug that would block it. The new drug offers hope for those suffering from arthritis, cancer, migraines, muscle aches and other chronic pain.

Traditional opiates work by distorting pain signals sent from peripheral nerves to the central nervous system. They alter judgment and can leave many addicted. The new drug, however, would not allow the pain signals to be transferred at all. Researchers say that the pain signals never even reach the central nervous system. Instead, they are fielded by the peripheral nervous system, which is why the new drug would not be habit-forming and is said to have no side effects.

Critics are not so quick to jump on the band wagon. Dr. Levounis is also skeptical. He adds that we have been promised these things before and cites drugs like Ambien, Ultram and Viagra as examples that were originally touted as non-addictive also. However, Dr. Levounis does think the research is a step in the right direction.

He claims that opioid painkillers are extremely addictive and states that the public needs to be aware. He even goes so far to say that their use to manage pain has been one of the worst decisions in the history of medicine. Unfortunately, the negative side effects associated with many drugs today quickly overshadow any positive impact they may have had on society.

Actually, there may be some that you’ll want to get rid of sooner than others. Still, how do you do so in the most efficient and safe manner? Believe it or not, there are right ways and wrong ways to dump your old meds. Here are some tips from the experts.

Round Up All Meds and Analyze

The first step in properly disposing of unwanted or no longer usable prescription medications is to gather them all in one place and take an inventory and analyze. What you’re looking for are expiration dates (any that are already expired are no good to anyone and need to be disposed of), warnings (some medications may have special disposal instructions), name, type, and dosage.

Why is all this important? You need to understand what you’re dealing with. Even more important, you don’t want to inadvertently toss out or dispose of medication that you still need to take. This may happen when someone arbitrarily decides that they don’t want to take meds any longer, and they just pitch everything in the trash or flush it down the sink. Not only is this practice hazardous to others, it also jeopardizes the individual. There could be a gap in medication use that may be quite harmful or cause unwanted rapid-onset withdrawal symptoms.

Maybe you’re not quite sure about some medications that you haven’t taken for a while at the direction of your doctor. They haven’t reached their expiration date and your doctor may have you on a different medication or different dosage as a trial to see which medication works better for you. This is often the case with prescribed drugs to help control symptoms of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or other mental health disorders.

The best way to proceed is to make a complete list of all the medications. Write down the name of the medication, the dosage, how frequently taken, who it is prescribed for, and for what purpose. Also write down the prescribing doctor’s name, prescription number, and expiration date of the medication. Now you have a complete inventory and can proceed to the next step.

Contact Your Doctor

Remember that you never want to just get rid of prescription medications that your doctor ordered for your care without first talking with the physician to ensure that such medications are no longer needed. Even if you really want to stop taking them, you are not your best counsel – and you’re certainly not a doctor (in most cases, but even doctors aren’t always the best judge of what’s the right course of action when it comes to their own health).

Call your doctor or make an appointment and go in with your list of medications. Have a candid discussion about your desires and ask when and if you are ready to stop taking certain drugs. You may be concerned about side effects, or feel that you no longer need the drugs or that they’re not working properly. These are things that you should be discussing with your doctor on an ongoing basis, but many people neglect to do so following treatment. Granted there are a lot of things occupying your time when you are in recovery, but taking care of your health and seeing your doctor and therapist regularly are right up there in importance – at least they should be.

If your doctor concurs that you can begin to stop taking certain medications, circle or highlight those with bright or bold marker so you know exactly which ones are okay to discontinue. The ones you don’t circle are the ones you still need to take. Remember that you can’t just stop taking some drugs cold turkey. This action may precipitate nasty withdrawal or even life-threatening reactions. Your doctor may need to prescribe a different medication or one of stepped-down dosage in order to safely wean you off the medication. Always be guided by your doctor’s recommendations and follow them as directed.

Safeguard Medications that are Still Required

While you are preparing to dispose of medications that your doctor has agreed you no longer need, it’s also important that you safeguard all medications that you are still supposed to take. This means locking them up, keeping them out of reach of children or others who may take them by accident or on purpose.

Many instances of unintended poisoning occur each year because people fail to secure prescription – and over-the-counter (OTC) – medications. This is a tragedy that is totally preventable. Just install a lock on a medicine cabinet or place prescription medications in a lockable credenza, drawer, or other storage area. Be sure that the temperature in the location doesn’t exceed what is recommended for safe storage however, since extreme heat or cold may cause the medication to deteriorate and lose effectiveness.

Why Not Flush Meds Down Plumbing?

Sad to say, far too many people think the simplest and safest way to get rid of unwanted prescription medications is just to flush them down the plumbing, either a sink or a toilet. This is extremely hazardous for a number of reasons. Chief among them is the fact that sewage plants are designed to treat biodegradable organic waste, not pharmaceuticals. The chemicals that are in the consumer products (prescription medications) can and do slip past the treatment and stay in the effluent that then spills out into lakes, rivers, streams, and oceans. In addition, the contaminated material may also make its way into the heavy sludge that is used as landfill cover or in farmland fertilizer.

Various studies of fish have shown a number of reproductive abnormalities caused by medications flushed into waterways. Such medications range from concentrations of endocrine-disrupting chemicals from birth-control pills to toxic reactions from many other kinds of prescription medications. Flushing medication down plumbing has another unintended effect. It may wind up in your community’s water supply – and create potentially serious health problems for others.

Don’t Toss Meds in the Garbage

Another no-no when it comes to disposing of most old or unwanted prescription medication post-treatment is tossing it in the garbage. The worst danger is that children or pets can get into the trash and ingest the medication accidentally – with potentially fatal results.

Another reason not to toss meds in the garbage is that despite the fact that many medications are still in prescription containers, such medication may eventually make its way into the soil in landfills. This can create an environmental hazard.

Some people believe – and it was long considered safe – that they can just pulverize the medications, place the powder back in the original prescription containers, wrap in several layers of thick zip-lok bags or plastic containers and then throw out in the trash. While plastic doesn’t degrade quickly (or at all), it doesn’t help landfills, And the problem again with this method is that there’s no guarantee the hazardous material won’t leak or somehow make its way into the soil or groundwater.

If you can’t flush these meds down the plumbing or toss them in the garbage, how can you safely dispose of them?

Safe Medication Disposal Suggestions

You have a few choices when it comes to the safest ways to dispose of unwanted or unusable prescription medications.

1. Check the instructions included with your prescriptions or medication labeling. Always check the instructions for proper disposal of medications that are included with your prescription or on the product labeling.
2. Contact your pharmacy. Call the pharmacy where your prescription was filled. They may be able to take back the medication and safely dispose of it for you or they may give you a referral to an organization that provides this service. Some pharmacies advertise or will tell you if you ask about their drug recycling programs. Some pharmacies will take back drugs at any time, while others may only accept drugs for disposal at certain predetermined times during a period drive to collect expired medications. If the first pharmacy you call either doesn’t have a drug recycling program or doesn’t have any recommendations for, contact another pharmacy. You’ll eventually find one that will be able to help.
3. Ask if your doctor takes back medication. Some doctors may offer this service, but many more will not. Just as some pharmacists will have "take back medication days," some doctors may wish to provide such a service to their patients. If you don’t already know whether or not your doctors will do so, contact his or her office to find out for sure.
4. Check your city for organized safe medication disposal days. Some cities and communities have annual or semi-annual organized safe medication disposal days. Often these organized disposal days list numerous hazardous or potentially hazardous materials – including prescription medications – that you can bring to a central location on a given date for proper disposal.
5. Check with your trash disposal service. Since expired medication is considered a hazardous waste, your trash disposal service may offer collection at certain times. This is often published in flyers that arrive with your trash disposal bill or appear as a notice in the local newspaper.
6. Check websites. If your city or town has a website, or if your local trash disposal service has a website, check them to find out about hazardous waste disposal. Specifically look for medications in the listing of types of hazardous materials that will be disposed of or how to properly dispose of medications. If nothing is listed, contact the city, town, or trash disposal service for recommendations.
7. Donate to organizations that accept unexpired medication for use in third-world countries. Finally, there are some organizations that accept certain medications that have not yet expired for use in third-world countries. And, in some cases, even though the medication may be expired, such organizations may be able to utilize some of them – since expiration date is a generalized time-frame and some medications remain usable well beyond printed expiration date. Only a professional can determine this, however, so don’t guess about it. Contact the organization either through their website or by telephone (often, a toll-free number will be listed).

Remove Personal Identification from Medication Containers

Before you take unwanted or unusable medication to a disposal site or service, or donate to an organization, be sure to safeguard your privacy by removing any personally identifiable information from the container. Use a heavy black marker to darken the area that has your name, and that of your doctor. If the medication is to be disposed of, also blacken out the name of the prescription drug and dosage strength. This will prevent potential misuse of the medication by anyone who comes in contact with it.

Never Give Your Prescription Meds to Someone Else

Just because you no longer need or want to take medication that’s been prescribed for you, even if your doctor okays your discontinuing it, never think you can give these meds to someone else – even if they ask you. This is a dangerous practice that can be illegal, especially if you give it to or allow underage minors to obtain it for their own use.

What If There’s No Take-Back Drug Disposal Available?

The Office of National Drug Control Policy
lists guidelines for proper disposal of prescription drugs on its website. There are some prescription drugs that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends can be safely flushed. See the FDA website for the most up-to-date list of drugs that can be safely flushed. Note that the list includes the drugs OxyContin and Percocet.

Information about directions on how to safely dispose of specific marketed drugs can be obtained through the DailyMed website. After you search the drug name, disposal information for the specific drug can be found in one of the following sections: information for patients and caregivers, patient information, patient counseling information, safety and handling instructions, or medication guide.

If the prescription drugs are other than those recommended be flushed by the FDA, and no safe drug disposal service or take-back drug program is available, the federal guidelines from the ONDCP and the U.S. FDA include the following:

• Take prescription drugs out of their original containers.
• Mix the drugs with undesirable substances – such as cat litter or used cofee grounds.
• Place the mixture in a disposable container with a tightly-sealed lid, such as an empty margarine tub or cottage cheese container, or a tightly-sealed zip-lok or plastic bag.
• Remove or conceal any personally-identifiable information, either by using black marker or covering with heavy duct tape. This includes your name and prescription number.
• Then place the sealed container and its contents in the trash.

Be Safe, Not Sorry

It may take a little extra effort to properly and safely dispose of post-treatment medications, but doing what’s right is always better than leaving such an imporant task to chance. Learn all you can about the medications you’re taking that your doctor says you can discontinue. When it comes time to dispose of them, do the right thing and get rid of them safely – for all concerned.

The study found a major increase in hospital discharges from effects of prescription and over-the-counter medication, as well as illegal drugs, among adults age 45 and over. The hospitalizations were mainly caused by drug-induced delirium, overdose of codeine and another opiate-based pain medications, and withdrawal from narcotic and non-narcotic drugs.

Hospital admissions for drug-related conditions increased from about 30,000 per year to more than 65,000 per year (a 117 percent increase) between 1997 and 2008 for people ages 45 to 64.

Pamela S. Hyde, administrator of HHS’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, said that substance abuse is rising, and that drug abuse of all kinds is a major public health concern. She added that clinicians need to make sure patients receive medication when needed but also prevent the adverse consequences that can come from drug use.

The report found a similar trend among elderly people, as hospital admissions for drug-related problems increased by 87 percent among people ages 85 and older. Among those ages 18 to 44, hospitalization for medications and illegal drugs decreased by 11 percent.

The study also found that it cost $1.1 billion in 2008 to treat patients with drug-related conditions (illegal and prescription drugs).

Source: ABC News, Emily P. Walker, Hospital Admissions for Drug Reactions Double, October 31, 2010

In conjunction with its regulatory and international partners like INTERPOL, the World Health Organization’s International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force (IMPACT), the Permanent Forum on International Pharmaceutical Crime (PFIPC), Heads of Medicines Agencies Working Group of Enforcement Officers (HMA WGEO), and World Customs Organization (WCO), the FDA helped complete the International Internet Week of Action (IIWA) from October 5–12, 2010. IIWA is a coordinated program sponsored by INTERPOL and includes the cooperation of federal health, customs, and law enforcement organizations from 45 different countries.

IIWA, now in its third year, is the world’s largest initiative to help raise awareness of the dangers of counterfeit and illegally manufactured pharmaceuticals that are sold over the Internet by bringing attention to the individuals or businesses responsible for their production and distribution. The international operation, this year called Pangea III, tracked down and apprehended hundreds of criminals involved in illegal actions related to the online sale of these medications, demonstrating that the Internet is no place to conceal their drug market or prey on the members of the general public.

Many people may resort to purchasing prescription medications through online pharmacies for various reasons—lack of medical insurance, lower cost, easier access, or even to help fuel a growing addiction. Yet consumers are almost entirely unaware of what individuals or businesses are behind the production, distribution, and profit of the multitude of these transactions that occur every day. The illicitly manufactured medicines being sold online to the public are essentially unverified, uncontrolled, and unreliable—leaving consumers vulnerable to the blatant risks involved in taking such medications, like chronic disabilities, coma, overdose, or death. Officials hope that the international collaboration to prosecute those responsible for distributing drugs considered falsified, contaminated, or grossly misrepresented will help the public realize the extent of harm involved in these transactions and to practice greater safety and discretionary methods when it comes to protecting their health.

Individuals who were identified as being behind the illegal online pharmacies are now subject to civil and criminal action, and thousands of counterfeit or illicit products were seized by officials and removed from transactional activities. As part of the Pangea III operation, the FDA sent warning letters to the operators of 294 identified websites that were considered in violation of U.S. law. In fact, all of these sites appeared to be associated with the same group of individuals and corporate entities, and were operating their businesses outside of the U.S. The FDA also sent notices to these sites’ Internet Service Providers (ISP) and Domain Name Registrars (DNR) so that the providers could become aware of the illegal activity and take necessary measures including terminating the sites and suspending their domain names. In total, 274 of the websites related to U.S. sales were successfully shut down or banned from selling future pharmaceuticals. The remaining 20 websites identified by the FDA remain under investigation by U.S. and international investigators.

On a global scale, 188 member countries participated in the joint effort to shut down illegal pharmaceutical websites, track electronic payments, and intercept delivery services. IIWA revealed 694 illegal websites during the operation, 290 of which have now been terminated. Around 268,000 packages were intercepted by regulatory police worldwide, resulting in the seizure of almost 11,000 packages that contained more than 1 million counterfeit and illicit medications worth $2.6 million. Illegal medications discovered ranged from antidepressants, anti-anxiety pills, painkillers, antibiotics, anti-epileptic pills, anti-cancer pills, steroids, to diet or weight loss pills. Approximately 76 individuals are now under investigation or arrest as a result of the operation, according to INTERPOL.

The wide-scale collaborative effort has improved partnerships between international law enforcement and regulatory agencies to successfully bring illegal online pharmaceutical sales and distribution to an end, and to protect the public worldwide.

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA participates in "International Internet Week of Action," October 14, 2010

After comparing data from the department’s 2005 and 2008 Survey of Health Related Behaviors Among Active Duty Personnel, servicemembers were self-reporting higher levels of legal substance abuse—including the misuse of prescription drugs, inhalants, and ‘designer drugs’ like K2 and spice—than in previous years. Data from both annual surveys demonstrated an increase in prescription drug misuse and other legal substance abuse, a trend that is similar to recent national studies on the general public. Since the armed forces population is considered to be a viable sample of the U.S. population, statistics on servicemembers is usually reflective of those on the general public. However, active servicemembers in particular may be experiencing certain behaviors that are characteristic to their military lifestyle that might not otherwise be found in the general public. Because any kind of substance abuse among military personnel can potentially impair the readiness of the country’s defense forces, the Department of Defense considers this rise in legal substance use to be a serious threat to the health and safety of its servicemembers and the U.S. population as a whole.

The Department of Defense’s annual survey asks servicemembers to anonymously report their current activity regarding their behavioral and mental health. The information gathered from servicemembers’ responses allows the defense services to adequately respond to their needs, as in improving programs, implementing new policies, and expanding prevention strategies. The rise of legal substance abuse poses several concerns: Even though designer drugs like synthetic marijuana, salvia divinorum, K2, spice, or their derivatives are legal in most states, they can still cause adverse effects in users similar to that of illicit substances, or even have much higher potencies. These legal substances are inexpensive to buy and are commonly marketed online under the guise of harmless, herbal remedies. Additionally, traces of these substances do not appear on standard drug testing methods, which may make them seem safe to use. According to the department, most military personnel who admitted to using the legal substances were unaware of the substances’ harmful potential, indicating the need for more prevention and awareness programs regarding their use.

Unfortunately, the Armed Forces has seen servicemembers experience serious consequences and even death due to the misuse of such legal substances as inhalants, herbal compounds, or medications. Many individuals mistakenly believe that these substances are safe, yet are rather oblivious as to where the products were originally manufactured. Different substances can be inadvertently mixed together, and levels of potency can vary from package to package, making it difficult for users to understand how much of the substance’s intoxicating ingredients to consume. These many unknown factors can all contribute to extremely hazardous consequences.

Regardless of their current legal status, all substance misuse among the military is completely banned according to the Department of Defense. Possession, use, distribution, or production of controlled substances, as well as the misuse of prescription medication, over-the-counter medication, and other intoxicating substances are deemed as wrongful conduct among servicemembers and are subject to legal action. All military programs enforce the Uniformed Code of Military Justice which regulates the use and abuse of both illicit and licit substances among servicemembers.

Source: U.S. Department of Defense, Department Monitors Substance Abuse Trends, October 1, 2010

With the help of several state and local partners, the DEA held its first annual Prescription Drug Take-Back Day as a nationwide effort to reduce the dangers of prescription drug misuse and diversion. With no questions asked, anyone from the community was welcome to visit the designated collection sites that included public health facilities, law enforcement agencies, government centers, pharmacies, or other community organizations to drop off unwanted and expired prescription medications.

The Prescription Drug Take-Back Day was a way to allow residents to safely dispose of their unused medications, thereby protecting the environment and reducing the risk of prescription drug abuse. According to recent national studies, most adolescents and young adults who admit to abusing prescription drugs report that they obtained their drugs for free from a friend or family member. Too often, forgotten medications languish in the home medicine cabinet, where they eventually and unknowingly are stolen. By responsibly dispensing their unused medications, Americans throughout the nation had collectively prevented these drugs from being abused and reduced the risk of harm among their families and communities.

The DEA reports that in the New England area alone, 340 partner agencies helped operate 401 drop-off locations, of which collected a total 25,810 pounds in unwanted, unused, or expired prescription medications. Between the six New England states, Massachusetts produced the greatest amount of returned prescription medications (8,550 pounds). In Arizona, the DEA reported having collected more than 6,200 medications from residents at 74 different collection sites. Law enforcement from California’s Orange County and the greater Los Angeles area announced on Wednesday that the campaign had accumulated an overwhelming 8,190 pounds of unused prescription drugs from their various collections sites throughout southern California alone. Among the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands areas, the DEA reportedly collected 1,004 pounds of unused medications from residents thanks to the vast support of the public to keep prescription drugs from falling into the wrong hands and into the black market.

The types of prescription drugs collected included anything from Adderall to Zoloft and everything in between. Drugs like powerful narcotic pain relievers and anti-anxiety medications are highly susceptible to abuse and diversion when left unattended in the home. After the impressive national turnout, the DEA will be properly destroying the collected medications not only to circumvent their likelihood for abuse, addiction, and overdose, but also to protect the health and environmental safety issues that affect the wellbeing of communities. The massive turnout also demonstrates how prescription pain relievers and other medications are being prescribed at a rapidly increasing rate, and that the abuse of these drugs has jumped to epidemic proportions in just a few years.

Source: Drug Enforcement Administration, Tons of Prescription Drugs Collected, September 27, 2010

Drawing upon the Obama Administration’s National Drug Control Strategy for reducing and preventing prescription drug abuse that was first proposed in May of this year, Kerlikowske reminded the members of the Caucus of the federal government’s responsibility in leading the effort to substantially diminish the nation’s daunting rate of prescription drug abuse and its consequences within five years. The response needed to accomplish this goal, Kerlikowske described, would require the bipartisan collaboration of all members of Congress.

A week prior, Kerlikowske had joined the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in announcing the organization’s most recent findings on the nation’s prevalence of substance abuse. The latest statistics on substance abuse have dramatically grown in severity compared to previous years as prescription drug misuse, diversion, overdose, and addiction rapidly continue to spread across all socio-demographics and regions of the U.S.

According to SAMHSA’s latest study, the national rate of illicit substance abuse had risen by nearly 1% from 2008 to 2009. The rate of almost all substances of abuse had significantly inclined within the one-year period, particularly among young adults. Within the short time span, nonmedical use of prescription medications had unsurprisingly increased yet again. For 2009, SAMHSA estimates that 5.3 million Americans ages 12 and older are currently abusing prescription medications—an increase of 20% since 2002. Furthermore, the population of prescription drug abusers now surpasses the number of new users in any other class of drugs; of the 2.6 million new drug users in 2009, 2.2 million were prescription drug abusers.

In similar studies published this year, SAMHSA has found that the national rate of treatment admissions for prescription drug abuse had increased by 400% within just four years, and the number of emergency department visits nationwide related to nonmedical use of prescription drugs rose by 111%. Within the last two decades, U.S. prescriptions for opiate medications jumped from 40 million to 180 million; today, one in seven teenagers admits to abusing prescription drugs, and opioid prescription drug misuse is the leading cause of drug-related injuries among adults 65 and older.

For their leading effort in eradicating the nation’s greatest public health problem, Kerlikowske lauded the members of Congress who worked together to create the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse, including Representatives William Delahunt (D–10th MA), Mary Bono Mack (R–45th CA), and Hal Rogers (R–5th KY). Other party members present included Senator Steven Tolman (D–MA), State Representative Jeffrey Perry (R–MA), and William Keating, Democratic candidate for the 10th Congressional District seat in MA.

The Obama Administration’s plan for reducing prescription drug abuse includes increasing prescription drug return, take-back, and disposal programs; expanding and improving prescription drug monitoring programs; helping states eradicate doctor shopping and pill mills; eliminating illegal Internet pharmacies and pain clinics; educating medical professionals about opiate painkiller prescribing; and educating the public on the dangers of prescription drug abuse. With the Republican party’s new pledge to overturn the Obama Administration’s newly instated healthcare reform, one issue in which both sides of the aisle are in agreement on is the need to provide shared procedures, uniform monitoring, information gathering, and public protection against the dangers of prescription drug abuse.

Sources: Cape Cod Times, George Brennan, Keating: Control Prescription Drugs, September 22, 2010

Office of National Drug Control Policy, Obama Administration Official Urges Immediate Action to Reduce Prescription Drug Diversion, Abuse, September 22, 2010

The injection drug was approved by the FDA in 2006 to treat people with alcohol dependency. After hearing the panel’s recommendation, the FDA is expected to make a decision by October 12.

The drug’s manufacturer, Alkermes Inc., said in a statement that approving the drug would help more addicts get treatment for opioid addiction. The company added that their study showed that the drug was effective and well tolerated by patients.

The FDA said they agreed with Alkermes that their study provides convincing evidence that the drug can help prevent relapse, but they noted that the study was conducted on people with cultural, societal, and demographical differences from the target audience. They added that Alkermes’ recent Russian-based study showed fewer problems than a previous U.S. study, possibly due to cultural factors.

Analysts say the drug could be more successful among opioid addicts, as pricing and other issues have made it hard for alcoholics to receive and use the drug.

Source: Reuters, Susan Heavey, FDA cites concerns with Alkermes addiction drug, September 15, 2010