Misprescription and Overprescription of Controlled Prescription Drugs (Details)

Name of province/ territory:

Saskatchewan

City/ Region:

Moose Jaw

Description of Initiative:

The Moose Jaw Police Service has been working closely with a pharmacist investigator from the Saskatchewan College of Physicians and Surgeons to reduce the abuse of prescription drugs in Moose Jaw and the surrounding area. Investigators from the Moose Jaw Police Service compiled a list of high-risk prescription drug users and traffickers based on police investigations and contact with confidential informants. After this information was corroborated, the Pharmacist Investigator was provided with the names of high-risk drug users and traffickers.

The Pharmacist Investigator checked the subjects identified by police against his database to determine which doctors may have been misprescribing or overprescribing these individuals. The College then contacted these doctors through written letters advising them of the information and requiring them to justify their perscribing habits. This education of the doctors resulted in either dose-tapering or ending prescriptions to many of the abusers and traffickers. The letter from the College not only educates the doctors in question, but also may lead to regulatory discipline of doctors who fail to comply with the College’s requirements.

Initiative Key Objectives:

The objectives of this initiative are to reduce the amount of prescription drug abuse in the community and to provide an incentive/opportunity to increase participation in drug detox programs. This initiative was also intended to share information regarding the reality of street-level perscription drug abuse and educate local physicians on the issue.

Section Responsible for Implementation:

The Criminal Investigation Section of the Moose Jaw Police Service

Key Contact:

Tim Arnott
tarnott@mjpolice.ca

Groups/ Agencies/ Key Partners Involved:

Level of Involvement (consultative - information sharing) and/or cooperative - direct involvement):

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan is involved.

Amount of Time Initiative has been in Place:

Since mid-2011.

Reason for Undertaking the Initiative:

The Moose Jaw Police Service experienced a growing problem of prescription drug abuse and trafficking in Moose Jaw. Although the Police Service was successful in executing a number of search warrants and making a number of arrests in connection with the trafficking, it became evident that traditional law enforcement approaches were not having a significant impact on the prescription drug trade. Through contact with drug abusers in the community, we learned that the growing drug problem was also accompanied by serious health concerns and increased property crime rates.

The Police Service initially attempted to speak with local doctors regarding individual prescriptions that were given to known traffickers. This approach had limited and short-lived success in curbing the growing problem of prescription drug abuse in Moose Jaw. By changing the approach and accessing the doctors through the Saskatchewan College of Physicians and Surgeons, greater results were achieved. The College was able to corroborate police information and provide consequences to doctors for not complying with the request to take responsibility for prescribing to known drug abusers.

Resources Required to Implement this Initiative:

There were no hard costs associated with this project. The high-risk drug users and traffickers were identfied through source information and police investigations. The College provided access to the Pharmacist Investigator, who immediately supported the program and has worked tirelessly to help create success.

Method of Implementation:

The program was initiated in the Moose Jaw district after speaking with several individuals suffering from prescription drug addictions. Through this contact, we were able to identify a number doctors who had inappropriate prescribing boundaries. The Moose Jaw Police Service contacted the investigator from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and had a meeting to share information with the intention of the investigator following up with the doctors. The local health region also immediately offered support for the initiative. The local success drew national attention which resulted in the initiative being presented in Ottawa at a national conference on prescription drug misuse.

Key Outcomes of the Initiative:

The initiative met its intended objective in reducing the availability of illegal prescription drugs in Moose Jaw. The open communication established with the Pharmacist Investigator also made the process of investigating suspected misuse of prescriptions far more efficient. Several additional high-risk users were identified following the initial list that was provided. At that point, the Pharmacist Investigator was contacted immediately and the individual doctors were contacted within days.

Availability of a Communication Strategy:

Yes

Key Messages used to Publicize the Initiative:

A presentation outlining the initiative was prepared and given to several police agencies, local drug strategy groups and numerous drug conferences. As was previously noted, a presentation was made in Ottawa at the National Dialogue on Prescription Drug Misuse in February 2012. As well, interviews were done with local media outlets and Blue Line law enforcement magazine. The key message outlined in each educational session was the recognition of the limits of traditional law enforcement approaches and the tremendous importance of information sharing with agencies to maximize effectiveness in dealing with prescription drug issues.

Forms of Evaluation by which the Initiative will be Assessed:

  • quantitative
  • qualitative

Evaluation Completed or Community Feedback Received:

No

Summary of the Outcomes:

The outcome of the initiative can be measured both quanititatively and qualitatively. The Pharmacist Investigator provided a statistical analysis of the prescriptions received by the high-risk users that were identified on the list of names provided. He found that the prescriptions for 45% of the individuals identified had either been reduced or cancelled two months after the initiative began. The College of Physicans and Surgeons is able to provide up-to-date statistics based on their records of prescriptions.

Qualitatively, source information and contact with street-level users indicated that the availability of illegal prescriptions had diminished significantly in Moose Jaw. Follow-up with Mental Health and Addictions staff indicated that they had seen a significant increase in the number of clients seeking addiciton treatment. An educational session was held with the doctors of the health region, where they were presented with information on the initiative. The support and feedback received from the doctors was overwhelmingly positive. As well, informal conversations with health care staff provided feedback that the prescribing habits of doctors had changed significantly. It is also important to note that through continued contact with confidential informants, the police service is constantly re-evaluating the success of the initiative and contacting the College as new problems arise with prescribing.

Summary of the Performance Measure Data Collected:

N/A

Economics of Policing Pillars:

Further Details:

This initiative has proven to be a more efficient way of combating the prescription drug problem when compared with traditional police approaches. It has provided a means to address the source of prescriptions (i.e., physicians) in a quick and effective manner. It has also proven to be incredibly efficient and effective in overcoming jurisdictional obstacles as the high-risk subjects are tracked by the College investigator regardless of where they attempt to obtain prescriptions.

Additional Comments or Suggestions:

N/A

Record Entry Date:

2013-08-01

Date modified: