February 22 & 23, 2020; Hilton Alexandria Mark Center – Alexandria, Virginia

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) held a Practitioner Diversion Awareness Conference (PDAC) on February 22-23, 2020 in Alexandria, VA. 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.

There were 449 veterinarians, dentists, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners in attendance. 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; Registration Issue; DC Board of Medicine; Drugs of Abuse and Trends; Physician Assistance Program; Inventories, Records, and Reports; Methods of Diversion and Effective Controls for Controlled Substances; Disposal, Return of Patients Meds, and Options for Patients; Prescriptions for Controlled Substances; Telemedicine; Training and Resources; and DC & VA Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.

Selected presentations from the Washington, DC PDAC (Alexandria, VA) are available below.

The Opioid Epidemic and the Practice of Legitimate Medicine – Aziz Elkholy, Acting Section Chief, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Registration Issues – Paula Albert, Staff Coordinator, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

DC Health Board of Medicine – Frank B. Meyers, JD, Executive Director

Drugs of Abuse and Trends – Antonio Guzman, Associate Section Chief, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Maryland Physician Health Program – Martin S. Rusinowitz, MD, Medical Director, Maryland Professional Rehabilitation Program

Inventories, Records, and Reports – Dwight Cokely, Staff Coordinator, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Methods of Diversion and Effective Controls for Controlled Substances – Aziz Elkholy, Acting Section Chief, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Disposal, Return of Patient Meds, and Options for Patients – Dwight Cokely, Staff Coordinator, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Prescriptions for Controlled Substances - Antonio Guzman, Associate Section Chief, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Telemedicine – Sarah C. Boblenz, Staff Coordinator, Policy Section, Diversion Control Division

Training & Resources – Justin Wood, Diversion Program Manager, Washington Division Office, DEA

DC Prescription Drug Monitoring Program – Justin Ortique, PharmD., RPh, Supervisory Pharmacist (DC); VA Prescription Monitoring Program – Ralph Orr, Program Director VA PDMP