WebProNews

California Attorney General Jerry Brown has introduced a plan to create an online prescription drug database so that doctors and pharmacies can reduce prescription drug abuse.

"Every year thousands of doctors try to check their patient's prescription history information but California's current database is difficult to access," Brown said.

"If California puts this information online, with real-time access, it will give authorized doctors and pharmacies the technology they need to fight prescription drug abuse which is burdening our healthcare system."

The database, called the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System, holds 86 million entries for prescription drugs dispensed in California.

By using a secure privately funded online database, Brown said health professionals would be able to access drug histories of patients rather than mailing or faxing written requests for the information. Each year more than 60,000 requests are made.

Brown is working with the Troy and Alana Pack Foundation, founded by Bob Pack whose 7 and 10 year-old children were killed by a driver under the influence of prescription drugs obtained from multiple doctors.

The foundation will work to enhance California's current database prescription by providing real-time Internet access for law enforcement and medical personnel.

The online database will launch in 2009 and will cost $3.5 million over the next three years.

"If doctors can easily check their own patients' prescription history, it will reduce the number of people who are able to obtain large quantities of narcotics from many different physicians," Brown said.

Kentucky was the first state to put all its prescription history information online for health professionals and law enforcement. California's new database will be the largest online prescription drug database in the country.