December 17-18, 2018; Hershey Lodge – Hershey, Pennsylvania

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) held a Practitioner Diversion Awareness Conference (PDAC) on December 17 & 18, 2018 in Hershey, Pennsylvania. 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 536, 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, and Training & Resources.

Selected presentations from the Hershey, Pennsylvania PDAC are below.

The Opioid Epidemic and the Practice of Legitimate Medicine – James A. Arnold, Section Chief, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

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

Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) – Thomas Riordan, PDMP Champion, Pennsylvania Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP)

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 – Jason Anderson, Prosecuting Attorney, Office of General Counsel, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania & Sherilyn R. Gillespie, PA Dept. of State, Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation

Inventories, Records, and Reports – Dominic D. Johnson, Group Supervisor, Harrisburg & Scranton Resident Offices

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

Disposal, Return of Patient Meds, and Options for Patients – Noreen Valentine, Group Supervisor, Philadelphia Field Division

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

Training & Resources – Noreen Valentine, Group Supervisor, Philadelphia Field Division