First the amount of pseudoephedrine you could buy was limited, then pseudoephedrine was put behind the counter, now all prescriptions might be monitored in an effort to combat methamphetamine production and the trafficking of prescription drugs.
Preliminary approval has been given in the House to the Drug Monitoring Act ( HCS HB 1619 ), which would require the Health Department to keep track of the prescriptions dispensed by pharmacists. Pharmacists would electronically file with the department the drugs prescribed and how often they were dispensed.
Rep. Jeff Roorda (D-Barnhart) tells colleagues during floor debate they face a simple choice. He says that if a lawmakers votes in favor of the bill, he is voting for the manufacturing of methamphetamine in the state. Roorda also says the bill will cut down on the number of doctors and pharmacist trafficking in prescription drugs.
Rep. Rob Schaaf (R-St. Joseph) raises questions about the bill. He doesn’t take much stock in a provision that all prescription information must be kept confidential, saying, "There is no data that is truly secure."
Schaaf argues that there will be leaks and the private prescription information of patients will somehow become public.
Stores selling pseudoephedrine would have to keep an electronic log of each transaction. The bill appears well on its way to passage, winning preliminary approval on a 107-to-49 vote.
Download/listen Brent Martin reports (:60 MP3)
