Ohio, Kentucky to share prescription-drug data

Facing an escalating number of drug-overdose deaths, Ohio officials have announced a plan to share, for the first time, prescription-drug histories of its residents with another state (Source: “With Ohio prescription-drug abuse, deaths soaring, state will share data with Kentucky,” Cleveland Plain-Dealer, April 15, 2009).

The state Board of Pharmacy launched a Web site three years ago to allow doctors, pharmacists and police to check records of all prescriptions filled in the state,  in an attempt to reduce “doctor shopping” for narcotic painkillers. That data is now going to be made available to health officials in Kentucky.

"When we're able to share live data, physicians will be able to get better information on patients and hopefully discourage people from going to multiple doctors," said Danna Droz of the Ohio Pharmacy Board.

Earlier this month Ohio Department of Health officials termed drug-related deaths in Ohio an “epidemic,” noting that the number deaths has soared 304 percent from 1999 to 2007. The increase is attributed mostly to abuse of prescription pain medications.