Purdue Pharma and Commonwealth of Virginia Partner

Purdue Pharma L.P., Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and the Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources today announced the formation of a private-public partnership to enhance utilization of the state prescription monitoring program (PMP) as part of the solution to address the opioid crisis. The Commonwealth of Virginia will connect the state PMP to the electronic health records (EHR) used by Virginia prescribers and pharmacists to make information from the PMP an integral part of the patient workflow when prescribing or dispensing controlled substances. The goal is to improve the performance, access and usability of the PMP program data for 18,000 prescribers and 400 pharmacies in the Commonwealth of Virginia by the end of 2017.

“The PMP is an important resource to help us track prescription data and spot potential abuse”

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“The epidemic of opioid addiction is a public health emergency in Virginia, and combating it is a top priority for my administration,” said Gov. Terry McAuliffe. “The Prescription Monitoring Program is a critical prevention tool that helps curb abuse of prescription medications, and I applaud this enhancement that makes the PMP easier and more likely for physicians to use.”

The Virginia Department of Health Professions, the administrator of the Virginia PMP, selected Appriss Health to integrate the PMP information into the EHR and pharmacy management systems. This integration will help clinicians and pharmacists make more informed clinical decisions and improve patient outcomes. Appriss Health is the technology provider for the Virginia PMP and the provider of NarxCare, a leading platform to address substance use disorders. As part of the integration effort, NarxCare will deliver a variety of analytics, tools and other resources to assist clinicians and support patients.

“The PMP is an important resource to help us track prescription data and spot potential abuse,” said Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources Dr. Bill Hazel. “Integrating that data with electronic health records strengthens the PMP and is an important step in our ongoing battle against the epidemic of opioid abuse.”

The Virginia PMP provides to authorized users a patient’s prescription history for Schedule II – V prescriptions for the prior 12 months as reported by all Virginia pharmacies and by out-of-state pharmacies delivering to people in Virginia. Additionally, the PMP prescription report informs clinical decision-making to help prevent or stop harm from duplicate drug therapy, prescription drug misuse, abuse and diversion.

“This initiative will put information that doctor’s need to make better informed prescribing decisions at their fingertips,” said Gail Cawkwell, M.D., Ph.D., Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Purdue Pharma L.P. “The technology provides important information about possible abuse, but also highlights patients that may have higher risks of overdose.”

Purdue Pharma will provide funding to accelerate uptake of technology that make PMPs interoperable across state lines and increase utilization of Virginia’s PMP data within EHR clinical workflows for prescribers and pharmacists.

“Purdue Pharma has a long history of supporting and funding public health initiatives like the use of prescription drug monitoring programs to help reduce the misuse and abuse of opioids,” said Mark Timney, President and Chief Executive Officer, Purdue Pharma L.P. “We recognize the immediate need for technology innovations, such as this, to improve access to the PMP data through workflow integration and enhance the effectiveness of these tools.”

ABOUT PURDUE PHARMA L.P.

Purdue Pharma is a privately-held pharmaceutical company and is part of a global network of independent associated companies that is known for pioneering research in chronic pain and opioids with abuse deterrent properties. The company’s leadership and employees are committed to providing healthcare professionals, patients and caregivers quality products and educational resources to support their proper use. Purdue Pharma is engaged in the development, production and distribution of both prescription and over-the-counter medicines and hospital products. With Purdue Pharma’s expertise in drug development, commercialization and life-cycle management, the company is diversifying in high-need areas to expand through strategic acquisitions and creative partnerships. For more information, please visit www.purduepharma.com.

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