Enhancement of Indiana's Prescription Monitoring Program (INSPECT).

Since the beginning of FY 2002, Congress has appropriated funding to the U.S. Department of Justice to support the Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). Prescription drug monitoring programs enhance the capacity of regulatory and law enforcement agencies and public health officials to collect and analyze controlled substance prescription data through a centralized database administered by an authorized state agency. These programs are designed to help prevent and detect the diversion and abuse of pharmaceutical controlled substances, particularly at the retail level where no other automated information collection system exists.

The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program assists states as they plan, implement, or enhance a PDMP. PDMPs: build a state-level data collection and analysis system to enhance the capacity of regulatory and law enforcement agencies and public health officials for future prevention efforts; enhance existing programs' abilities to analyze and use collected data to identify drug abuse trends and increase the number of users of the PDMP; facilitate national evaluation efforts to ensure continued support; encourage the exchange of information among states to prevent cross-border diversion; assess the efficiency and effectiveness of programs to ensure continued state-level support; and, enhance collaborations with law enforcement, prosecutors, treatment professionals, the medical community, and pharmacies to establish a comprehensive PDMP strategy.

The Indiana Professional Licensing Agency will use the enhancement grant funds to improve the Indiana Scheduled Prescription Electronic Collection and Tracking (INSPECT) program. In order to ensure that the 7,000+ users receive the most accurate and complete information possible, the INSPECT program will use the funds to cover operational expenses pertaining to software upgrades, enhancement projects, and outreach efforts, as well as to cover costs associated with equipment purchases and software enhancements to permit the sharing of data with other states. Funds will also be used to continue an ongoing, multifaceted stakeholder awareness campaign, which includes informational gatherings, training workshops, and the development of training and marketing materials. In a similar vein, the program will use funds to continue to partner with other organizations (state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and research institutes) as it could yield additional ways for the INSPECT data to be used to benefit the citizens of Indiana by helping curb the abuse, diversion and illicit procurement of controlled prescription drugs in Indiana.

CA/NCF