Many U.S. Pharmacies Increase Security To Prevent Prescription Drug Theft
Pharmacies nationwide are "fighting a battle of wits" with the increasing number of people who abuse prescription drugs and attempt to steal or illegally obtain the medications, the Baltimore Sun reports.
Many pharmacies now report drug thefts and fraud to a program called RxPATROL, which is sponsored by Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of the widely abused painkiller OxyContin. In addition, pharmacies are installing more cameras and tracking their inventories with computer programs.
The Maryland General Assembly is considering a bill backed by the state Board of Pharmacy that would register pharmacy technicians in order to catch those who steal from one pharmacy and then move on to another.
Howard Schiff, executive director of the Maryland Pharmacists Association, said, "There are several different methods, ways that drugs are lost," ranging from simple burglary to elaborate fraud. Statistics indicate that prescription drug abuse among people ages 18 to 25 is increasing nationwide, the Sun reports (Bell, Baltimore Sun, 3/31).