North Carolina News: Item 2182 - North Carolina Controlled Substance Reporting System

April 1, 2009 2:58 pm Topics: Controlled substances and Automated prescription reporting system

Reprinted from the April 2009 North Carolina Board of Pharmacy Newsletter.

Pharmacists in the state are aware that the General Assembly enacted a Controlled Substance Reporting System in 2006, and that the system has been operative for over a year. The Drug Control Unit of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services administers the Controlled Substance Reporting System.

Relatively few pharmacists apparently are aware that they may obtain access to the Controlled Substance Reporting System to review patient controlled substance histories. Such review can serve two important functions.

First, a review of a patient’s controlled substance history can remove suspicion that a patient is seeking to obtain a controlled substance prescription inappropriately.

Second, review of a patient’s controlled substance history can assist pharmacists in identifying “pharmacy shoppers” or “doctor shoppers” who are obtaining controlled substances for illegitimate purposes.

The Controlled Substance Reporting System database, as with any other tool, is not a substitute for a pharmacist’s professional judgment. Pharmacists who wish to obtain access to the database can find more information at www.dhhs.state.nc.us/MHDDSAS/controlledsubstance/index.htm.