February 4-5, 2019; Hilton Anaheim – Anaheim, California

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) held a Practitioner Diversion Awareness Conference (PDAC) on February 4 & 5, 2019 in Anaheim, California. This was a one-day conference, repeated on the second day, for the convenience of the practitioner community. The conference was developed and designed to address the growing problem of diversion of pharmaceutical controlled substances throughout the United States. In addition to pharmacy robberies and thefts, pharmaceutical controlled substances are often diverted by way of forged prescriptions, doctor shoppers, or illegitimate prescriptions from rogue practitioners. The objective of this conference was to educate healthcare professionals on ways to address and respond to potential diversion activity.

Over 924, veterinarians, dentists, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners. The conference attendees received approximately seven hours of instruction on a variety of topics. The presentations included; The Opioid Epidemic and the Practice of Legitimate Medicine, Drugs of Abuse and Trends, Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs, Prescriptions for Controlled Substances, Methods of Diversion and Effective Controls for Controlled Substances, State Medical Board, Inventories, Records, and Reports, Registration Issues, Disposal, Return of Patient Meds, and Options for Patients, Telemedicine, Training & Resources and Probation/Physician Wellness.

Selected presentations from the Anaheim, California PDAC are below.

Drugs of Abuse and Trends – Scott A. Brinks, Unit Chief, Liaison Unit, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) – Ann Hewitt, California Department of Justice

Prescriptions for Controlled Substances – Loren T. Miller, Section Chief, Policy Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Methods of Diversion and Effective Controls for Controlled Substances – Scott A. Brinks, Unit Chief, Liaison Unit, Diversion Control Division, DEA

State Medical Board – Kimberly Kirchmeyer, Executive Director, Medical Board of California; Thomas Morris, Acting Commander, Health Quality Investigations Unit, Department of Consumer Affairs

Inventories, Records, and Reports – Lynnette M. Wingert, Unit Chief, Policy Unit, Policy Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Registration Issues – Loren T. Miller, Section Chief, Policy Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Disposal, Return of Patient Meds, and Options for Patients – Marsha L.D. Ikner, Staff Coordinator, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Telemedicine – James A. Arnold, Section Chief, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Training & Resources – Lynnette M. Wingert, Unit Chief, Policy Unit, Policy Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Probation/Physician Wellness – Kimberly Kirchmeyer, Executive Director, Medical Board of California

NOTE: Presentations by private instructors do not constitute an endorsement by the DEA of the presenters or their products or services.