Draime Juanita A, Anthony Alea L, Moser Haylee M
J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2024 Mar-Apr;64(2):402-407. doi: 10.1016/j.japh.2023.11.016. Epub 2023 Nov 11.
Medication diversion, the act of illegally redirecting prescription drugs from their intended path, is a growing problem in the United States, with significant implications for patient safety and the integrity of the health care system.
The objective of this study was to link reported diversion cases from state boards of pharmacy to state court docket records to describe the legal ramifications of medication diversion.
A retrospective analysis of state board of pharmacy records and state court docket records from six states between 2016 and 2021 was completed.
A total of 207 medication diversion cases were identified and 61 of these cases were able to be linked to state court cases. The study found that pharmacy technicians were involved in the majority of cases (77.3%). The study found that medication diversion frequently occurred in community pharmacies (59.2%), involving controlled medications (87.4%). The primary reasons for medication diversion were personal use (43.7%) and undetermined motives (48.5%). Of the 61 cases linked to court cases, prevalent disciplinary actions included "misdemeanor or felony charges" (21.4%) and "jail time, suspended" (9.2%). The findings underscore the need for robust systems and protocols within health care facilities to prevent medication diversion, particularly in pharmacy settings. Measures such as implementing physical and electronic controls, addressing flaws in operations, and conducting thorough background checks during the hiring process are crucial for minimizing the risk of diversion. Furthermore, the study reveals inconsistencies in the disciplinary actions taken by state boards of pharmacy and state legal systems, indicating the need for more standardized and consistent processes for prosecuting medication diversion cases. Future research should aim to include a broader sample size and develop standardized data collection methods to further explore medication diversion and its legal implications.
In conclusion, addressing medication diversion requires a collaborative effort between health care facilities and regulatory bodies. By prioritizing prevention strategies and aligning disciplinary actions, the health care system can ensure patient safety, uphold professional integrity, and effectively combat medication diversion.
药物转移，即将处方药从预定用途非法转移的行为，在美国是一个日益严重的问题，对患者安全和医疗保健系统的完整性具有重大影响。
本研究的目的是将州药房委员会报告的药物转移案件与州法院记录相联系，以描述药物转移的法律后果。
完成了对2016年至2021年期间六个州的州药房委员会记录和州法院记录的回顾性分析。
共识别出207起药物转移案件，其中61起能够与州法院案件相联系。研究发现，大多数案件（77.3%）涉及药房技术人员。研究发现，药物转移经常发生在社区药房（59.2%），涉及管制药品（87.4%）。药物转移的主要原因是个人使用（43.7%）和动机不明（48.5%）。在与法院案件相联系的61起案件中，常见的纪律处分包括“轻罪或重罪指控”（21.4%）和“缓刑”（9.2%）。研究结果强调了医疗保健机构需要强大的系统和协议来防止药物转移，特别是在药房环境中。实施物理和电子控制、解决操作中的缺陷以及在招聘过程中进行全面背景调查等措施对于将转移风险降至最低至关重要。此外，研究揭示了州药房委员会和州法律系统采取的纪律处分存在不一致之处，表明需要更标准化和一致的程序来起诉药物转移案件。未来的研究应旨在纳入更广泛的样本量并开发标准化的数据收集方法，以进一步探索药物转移及其法律影响。
总之，解决药物转移问题需要医疗保健机构和监管机构之间的共同努力。通过优先考虑预防策略并使纪律处分保持一致，医疗保健系统可以确保患者安全、维护职业操守并有效打击药物转移。
