Real-time prescription data may cut opioid abuse

Real-time prescription data appear to have helped Canadian pharmacists stop "doctor shoppers" from getting excessive amounts of opioid painkillers and tranquilizers, according to a new study.

After British Columbia introduced a province-wide prescription database in 1995, there was a sudden drop in the number of inappropriate prescriptions of the two types of drugs, researchers found.

"I am excited to see this," said Dr. Andrew Kolodny, a psychiatrist in New York and president of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing.

"There are now millions of Americans who have this disease of opioid addiction, and once addicted you are going to do everything possible to get your opioids," added Kolodny, who was not involved in the new research.

The Canadian findings come less than a week after New York's Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a law requiring the state to create a real-time prescription drug database called I-STOP.

Opioids such as OxyContin and Vicodin are powerful painkillers and are commonly used in cancer patients or for a few days after surgeries. But they are also highly addictive and can trigger serious side effects, such as heart problems and breathing failure.

What is Vicodin?

Vicodin contains a combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone. Hydrocodone is in a group of drugs called opioid pain relievers. An opioid is sometimes called a narcotic.

Acetaminophen is a less potent pain reliever that increases the effects of hydrocodone.

Vicodin is used to relieve moderate to severe pain.

Vicodin may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Important information about Vicodin?

Vicodin may impair your thinking or reactions. Avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how Vicodin will affect you. Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase your risk of liver damage while taking acetaminophen.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had alcoholic liver disease (cirrhosis) or if you drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages per day. You may not be able to take medicine that contains acetaminophen. Do not take more of Vicodin than is recommended. An overdose of acetaminophen can damage your liver or cause death.

Nearly 15,000 Americans died from an overdose of the medications in 2008 alone, eclipsing the death toll from cocaine and heroin combined.

One way to obtain the coveted drugs is to "shop" between doctors, getting separate prescriptions and filling them at different pharmacies to avoid suspicion. Sometimes the medicines are for personal use and sometimes they are resold illegally.

OxyContin