LANSING — Gov. Rick Snyder has signed legislation to help reduce the illegal trafficking of prescription drugs, which is an area of concern highlighted in the governor’s Special Message to the Legislature on Public Safety released Wednesday.
The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs maintains an electronic system for monitoring controlled substances dispensed by all prescribers.
The Michigan Automated Prescription System, or MAPS, is the prescription database for Schedule 2-5 controlled substances.
LARA is permitted by statute to provide access to that data to prescribers and pharmacists, licensing boards of authorized prescribers and limited access to law enforcement officials.
House Bill 4369 allows LARA to provide that same limited level of access to health insurance carriers as currently provided to law enforcement. This enhances health providers’ ability to insure patient safety and identify individuals who are chronically misusing controlled substances.
“Michigan’s public safety is threatened by the diversion of controlled substances from their legal, safe use to illegal use and distribution,” Snyder said. “Prescription monitoring programs are effective tools to identify and prevent diversion of controlled substances at the prescriber, pharmacy and patient levels.”