Iowa to Implement Real-Time PSE Tracking System

July 1, 2010 2:20 PM Topics: Pseudoephedrine

Iowa pharmacies will soon be linked to a real-time pseudoephedrine (PSE) sales tracking system designed to enable pharmacies across the state to share PSE sales data, as reported in the WCF Courier. By linking the PSE data from all pharmacies, the new system promises to curb the practice of “smurfing” in which individuals travel from pharmacy to pharmacy, often in groups, to obtain the legal limit of PSE, a key ingredient in the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine. The system will enable pharmacists to determine whether an individual has exceeded their limit, thus allowing pharmacists to refuse to sell PSE if warranted. Gary Kendell, director of the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP), told the WCF Courier that the system should also allow cross-border sharing of PSE data in the future as nearby states Kansas, Illinois, and Missouri, are in the process of implementing the tracking system. ODCP plans to have Iowa's new tracking system fully operational by July 1, 2010.