Prescriptions would be tracked under Fla. bill

By Melissa Nelson

"Florida is the largest of 12 states without a system to track prescription narcotics, and experts say this and the state's abundance of storefront pain management clinics draws addicts and pill suppliers from throughout the country. Legislators hope to change that this year by creating a prescription database for doctors, pharmacists and law enforcement, partly in response to criticism from other state governments that are tired of having their residents die of prescription overdoses with painkillers bought in Florida."

"The bill would also require pain clinics to register with the state and submit to annual inspections. One loophole, however, is that owners and key employees would not have to undergo background checks, which is required for workers at many other types of clinic..."

"The bill's advocates said it is incredibly easy to get painkillers in Florida, particularly South Florida. Its numerous strip mall medical clinics, where patients can drop in and get prescriptions for any type of pain, have given the region the nickname of the nation's 'pill mill.' In 2008 there were 60 pain management clinics in South Florida, according to a study by the Miami Herald. This month, the newspaper found 150 pain management clinics in the region..."

Full article available at http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/04/30/ap6360504.html