Last month, we ran a heartbreaking op-ed piece from Gary Henson, a former Jefferson City resident whose eldest son, Garrett, had died after a lethal combination of two prescription drugs.
While in rehab, Garrett explained to his father how he would meet a dealer at a Kansas City park. The dealer paid people to fake the need for pain/anti-anxiety medications. The pills were then taken into Kansas and resold to people who were addicted to the pills.
After rehab, Garrett relapsed and died from a lethal combination of Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, and OxyContin, a powerful narcotic used to relieve pain.
Now, his father is crusading for Missouri to adopt a prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). Missouri is the only state that doesn't have one.
But that could change this year. The Senate last week passed a bill to create a statewide prescription drug tracking database, which could bring Missouri into line with every other state, the Associated Press reported.
The database would track when prescriptions for controlled substances are written and filled, the AP reported. The goal is to prevent "doctor shopping," the practice of going to several doctors to get prescriptions for painkillers and other drugs.
Ironically, the bill is being sponsored by Sen. Rob Schaaf, a PDMP critic who has blocked such bills in the past. He said his version includes enough security to ensure patient data is protected.
Data security has been, perhaps, the biggest concern of Schaaf and other opponents. The AP said the database could indicate whether a patient has seen another doctor or pharmacist within the past 180 days. If the patient has, then the last four digits of the patient's Social Security number could be used to see more detailed records and determine whether they should be prescribed drugs.
Prescription data would be purged after 180 days, the AP said.
A statewide bill would nullify local programs being implemented by some counties. The Cole County Commission and Jefferson City Council both have agreed to work together on a drug monitoring program.
We urge the House to pass a version of the bill that, while keeping privacy and security protections, is at least as effective as the ones counties are adopting on their own.
We believe such a system has the ability to save lives and reduce the heartbreak that Henson and countless other parents have endured.