Medications and the Internet

Just this week, several news items related to medications and the internet have caught my eye.

The February issue of Behavioral Healthcare magazine emphasizes that "the casual scribbles that pass for handwriting and the extensive use of abbreviations, acronyms, and shorthand dose designations in many doctors' offices" are to blame for miscommunications with pharmacists. More than 12,000 prescription drugs are on the market and 3 billion prescriptions are authorized each year, with similar names, potential contraindications, and multiple formulation and dosage options. The magazine advances the use of e-prescribing to reduce errors, maintain a more accurate medication history, and allow patients and their families to have access to this information. Promotion of e-prescribing is available from the Center for Improving Medication Management. The American Academy of Family Physicians is a founding member of the Center. The Center demonstrates and enhances the advantages of e-prescribing.

While the magazine advances e-prescriptions, the magazine also reports that Drug Enforcement Administration regulations prohibit e-prescribing of "controlled" medications that includes stimulant medications for the treatment of AD/HD. DEA regulations require medical personnel to manually sign prescriptions for controlled medications. Nineteen U.S. senators are considering legislation to allow e-prescriptions.

Meanwhile, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) published a National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) report on the misuse of prescription medications for non-medical uses. Among these are 2 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 17 (an estimated 510,000 persons) who have used stimulant medications at least once for non-medical purposes. The science-based literature discusses the importance of medication as part of a "multimodal" treatment process. Medications need to be prescribed by medically licensed professionals with the legal authority to prescribe using evidence-based guidelines with the informed consent of the consumer and/or family to treat a precise disorder. It is regrettable that there is such misuse. The report documents that the adolescent rate of misuse is twice as high as the rate of adults aged 26 and older. The survey asks people about their illegal use of drugs. The NSDUH report is currently posted on the CHADD National Resource Center on AD/HD Web site under "What's New."

Last Saturday, President Bush devoted his weekly radio address to his administration's proposed 2008 National Drug Control Strategy. The President expressed his concern for the "growing availability of highly addictive prescription drugs online," and focused on painkilling medications. The President called for legislation to prevent internet sales of medications; you can hear the address on the White House Web site; click on Radio under "News" in the "In Focus" column.

While research studies on medications as part of "multimodal" treatment continue, concerns about non-medical misuse continue and administrators are attempting to improve the accuracy and safety of prescribing. CHADD will continue to monitor these developments and share them when appropriate.

Clarke