After Calling for Tri-State Drug Information Sharing, Reps. Norcross, Meehan, Blunt Rochester Commend Prescription Monitoring Expansion
Press Release
Today, U.S. Representatives Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-AL) and Patrick Meehan (PA-07) commended the announcement that New Jersey and Pennsylvania will begin sharing Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) information with the goal of preventing opioid abuse and continue calling on all of the states in the region to coordinate.
"The disease of addiction does not recognize state lines nor party lines," said Congressman Norcross. "I am glad the Governors heard our call, recognized the importance of acting quickly and made this announcement today. There's still more work to do; there are many areas where people can cross state lines to get prescriptions, so the more effective information sharing we can do, the better."
"Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs help doctors and pharmacists make safer, more informed decisions about the medications they prescribe and dispense," said Congressman Meehan. "Information-sharing across state lines, particularly in a region like ours, is key to the program's effectiveness. While there's still more we can do to make PDMPs more effective, this is an important step forward that will undoubtedly save lives."
"Ending the opioid epidemic requires a commitment from all of us to ensure doctors and pharmacists have the information and resources they need to be effective and confident in what they're prescribing their patients and ultimately, in their fight against addiction," Congresswoman Blunt Rochester said. "We have more work to do to fight the opioid epidemic, but this expansion is a step in the right direction and I want to thank the Governors for recognizing that regardless of state or party lines, we all have a role to play in working to prevent addiction."
The Representatives sent a letter to the governors calling for regional information sharing one week ago. In the letter, the lawmakers stressed that, "Until our states begin sharing the data from each of our programs, doctors and pharmacists cannot be sure that they are unwittingly feeding the cycle of addiction. State PDMPs that work collaboratively in the whole region will help prevent the over-prescribing of opioids Lives are on the line."
Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and West Virginia recently enrolled in the New Jersey Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, according to the New Jersey State announcement today. These five states join New York, Connecticut, Delaware, South Carolina, Rhode Island, Virginia and Minnesota.
Source