FedEx, UPS Say They Are Targets of DEA Probe Into Online Pharmacy Shipments

By Join Together Staff | March 28, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Government, Legal, Prescription Drugs & Prevention

FedEx and UPS say they are targets of a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigation into online pharmacy shipments, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

The DEA effort is aimed at cracking down on the country’s prescription drug abuse epidemic, the article notes. The agency will not confirm its involvement in the investigation, but both shipping companies have disclosed the probe in corporate filings, according to the newspaper.

Federal officials want the companies to take responsibility for the prescription drugs inside the packages they are shipping, the article states. FedEx spokesman Patrick Fitzgerald responded, “We are a transportation company — we are not law enforcement, we are not doctors and we are not pharmacists.” He added, “We have no interest in violating the privacy of our customers by opening and inspecting their packages in an attempt to determine the legality of the contents. We stand ready and willing to support and assist law enforcement. We cannot, however, do their jobs for them.”

Fitzgerald said FedEx asked the DEA to provide a list of online pharmacies that are suspected of illegal activity, so it can stop doing business with them. He said the agency has refused to provide a list.

UPS would not comment on the investigation, but stated in a corporate filing that it is cooperating with the probe.

Earlier this month, U.S. Representative John Mica of Florida sent a letter to DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart and Attorney General Eric Holder, asking them to recognize “the difficulty and unfairness of requiring those carriers to assume responsibility for the legality and validity of the contents of the millions of sealed packages that they pick up and deliver every day.”

Mica told the newspaper, “You can’t stop commerce; you can’t open every package. I’m only asking them [the DEA and Department of Justice] for a reasonable approach.”

Reminder: Breakfast with friends Sunday, April 7 time running out to get reserved tickets

Clyde Bertram was colorful, outspoken and most of all, effective.  The many hundreds of lives he touched before his passing in January inspire us to remember a grand friend. At the first breakfast for alumni and friends of 2013, we'll gather at the Bensalem Country Club (just off Street Road) to share a meal, camaraderie and stories of Clyde.  The Clyde Bertram Alumni Breakfast Join us in celebrating this significant life - and the many lives Clyde touched with his wisdom, honesty and unwavering smile. At this event we'll unveil Clyde's Club - come find out all about it! Seating for this reasonably-priced, full-course breakfast is limited. Place your order today on our secure Paypal site. (You do not need to have, or obtain, a Paypal account to use it.)  There's also a mail-in option.  For more, call Livengrin's event hotline: 215-638-5200,  ext. 310 Visit the Clyde Bertram Alumni Breakfast   We look forwarding to seeing you there!

THE PARTNERSHIP OF DRUGFREE .ORG

Dear Joseph,

Last December at our annual Winter Wish Gala, we announced a new fund for children and families, in memory of our friend, our leader and our inspiration, James E. Burke.

His son, James, shared with us something very personal that night:

“As I look at my two young daughters, I am scared by the dramatic rise of prescription drug abuse among teens in this country…substance abuse and addiction would move my father in a way that would make him angry…make him cry at the devastation of young lives lost.”

His father’s passion for serving children and families remains with us today, and we often ask ourselves, “What would Jim do?”

It was Jim’s belief that parents and kids who struggle with substance abuse and addiction deserve the same quality of care, and open arms of support, that they would get with any other disease. It’s now our job to make that a reality.

To date, through donations to the James E. Burke Fund for Children and Families, we have raised close to $200,000 to provide valuable resources to families across the country, including sustaining our Parents Toll-Free Helpline, where our staff of caring professionals help callers every day.

Florida Sees Significant Drop in Number of Oxycodone Deaths in First Half of 2012

By Join Together Staff | March 26, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Community Related, Prescription Drugs & Prevention

The number of deaths due to oxycodone decreased by 29 percent in Florida in the first six months of 2012, compared with the second half of the previous year, according to a new report.

The drugs that caused the most deaths in the first half of 2012 were benzodiazepines, oxycodone, ethyl alcohol, methadone and cocaine. The report found deaths due to methadone and hydrocodone decreased 18.3 percent and 16.4 percent, respectively. Deaths caused by cocaine decreased by 11.6 percent.

The report, issued by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, provides evidence the state is successfully fighting the prescription drug abuse epidemic, officials said. For many years, Florida was a popular destination for people who wanted to buy prescription drugs at “pill mills” and doctors’ offices, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

In 2011, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed into law a bill designed to cut down on prescription drug abuse by controlling pill mills in the state. The law authorized the creation of a prescription-drug monitoring database to reduce doctor-shopping by people looking to collect multiple painkiller prescriptions. The legislation also imposed new penalties for physicians who overprescribe medication and imposes stricter rules for operating pharmacies.

The law had a major impact, according to a state government news release. “Two years ago, Florida was home to 90 of the top 100 oxycodone-purchasing physicians on a nationwide list, and today Florida isn’t on that list,” the release states.

“I am pleased that we are continuing to see a steady decline in the number of prescription drug deaths,” said Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. “These declining numbers are a direct result of our comprehensive strategy involving partnerships at the local, state, and federal level, and together we are saving lives.”

Animal Study Yields Clues to Susceptibility to Alcohol Addiction

By Join Together Staff | March 26, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol & Research

A study of mice suggests why some people may be more susceptible than others to alcohol addiction. The findings may one day lead to improved treatments, according to the researchers from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The researchers studied how individual mice responded to alcohol. Lead author Jeff Weiner, Ph.D., explained when mice are given alcohol every day, they tend to become more stimulated and run around more, Science Daily reports.

“In high doses, alcohol is a depressant, but in low doses, it can have a mellowing effect that results in greater activity,” he said. “Those low dose effects tend to increase over time and this increase in activity in response to repeated alcohol exposure is called locomotor sensitization,” Dr. Weiner said in a news release.

One group of mice was injected with the same amount of alcohol every day for three weeks, while another group received a saline injection. They found a large variation in the development of locomotor sensitization to alcohol. “Surprisingly, when all of the alcohol-exposed mice were given an opportunity to voluntarily drink alcohol, those that had developed sensitization drank more than those that did not. In fact, the alcohol-treated mice that failed to develop sensitization drank no more alcohol than the saline-treated control group,” Weiner said.

“We know that some people are much more vulnerable to alcoholism than others, just like some people have a vulnerability to cancer or heart disease,” Weiner added. “We don’t have a good understanding of what causes this vulnerability, and that’s a big question. But if we can figure it out, we may be able to better identify people at risk, as well as gain important clues to help develop better drugs to treat the disease.”

The findings appear in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Commentary: Rx Summit Features More Than 120 Presenters

By Karen Kelly | March 26, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Advocacy, Community Related, Prescription Drugs, Prevention & Treatment

More than 120 presenters are set to lead a national discussion about ways to “Make An Impact” on the prescription drug abuse epidemic when the 2013 National Rx Drug Abuse Summit convenes in Florida April 2-4.

I am thrilled at the exceptional caliber of presenters assembled for this conference by the Summit’s National Advisory Board. The quality of their presentations is reflected in our ability to offer multiple continuing education credits for medical professionals (physicians, nurses and pharmacists), social workers, attorneys, addiction and prevention specialists, human resources, criminal justice and insurance professionals.

There is still time for you to add your voice to the more than 800 conference attendees from across the United States who will collaborate on impactful solutions at local, state and national levels through timely and data-driven data about the prescription drug abuse crisis.

In addition to an outstanding line-up of keynote speakers – Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Thomas Frieden, National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Dr. Nora Volkow, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Director Frances Harding, Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Control Deputy Assistant Administrator Joseph Rannazzisi, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America Chairman/CEO Gen. Arthur Dean, Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Dr. John Dreyzehner, Coalition Against Insurance Fraud Executive Director Dennis Jay and Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney John Niedermann – the Summit features:

• 30 breakout sessions grouped into educational tracks (law enforcement, education/advocacy, clinical, treatment, pharmacy and third-party payer). These sessions will be led by professionals from many disciplines on the frontline of efforts to prevent, mitigate and respond to prescription drug abuse issues.

• Nine workshops on three important focus areas: U.S. military, prescription drug monitoring programs and successful strategies for community change.

• Eight vision sessions offering in-depth examination of innovative programs and strategies from organizations and businesses deeply involved in the fight against Rx abuse and diversion.

• Four idea exchange sessions providing an interactive discussion on issues pertaining to the Appalachian region, neonatal abstinence syndrome and addiction among teens.

• A panel discussion featuring five members of the bi-partisan Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse. Learn what actions are currently being taken in Congress.

For information about the Summit visit www.NationalRxDrugAbuseSummit.org, or follow news about the event at Twitter.com/RxSummit, Facebook.com/RxSummit, or LinkedIn.com/RxSummit. Questions may be directed to Eric Rice at 606-657-3218 or erice@centertech.com.

Karen Kelly
President/CEO