Prescription drug diversion control and medical practice.

Concern about the role of prescription drug diversion in drug abuse has led to demands for more stringent regulation and for better ways to detect prescription drug diversion. Advances in technology now allow point-of-sale computer systems to report prescriptions filled by pharmacies to state agencies rapidly and possibly more economically. However, the advantages of more comprehensive control systems must be balanced against their possible effects on medical practice and patient care. Our limited knowledge about prescription drug diversion and the impact of diversion control systems on medical practice is summarized. Needed research is outlined together with the components of a diversion control program that balances reducing drug diversion with minimizing adverse effects on medical practice and patient care. We stress the need for broadly defined practice parameters and peer review by medical experts thoroughly familiar with the complexities of medical practice.