June 3 & 4, 2019; Dover Downs Hotel & Casino – Dover, Delaware

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) held a Practitioner Diversion Awareness Conference (PDAC) on June 3 & 4, 2019 in Dover, DE. 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 247 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; Drugs of Abuse and Trends; State of Delaware Medical Board; Prescriptions for Controlled Substances; Methods of Diversion and Effective Controls for Controlled Substances; Delaware Health Monitoring Program; Inventories, Records, and Reports; Registration Issues; Disposal, Return of Patient Meds, and Options for Patients; Telemedicine; Training & Resources; and Delaware Prescription Monitoring Program.

Selected presentations from the Dover, Delaware PDAC are below.

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

State of Delaware Medical Board – David C. Mangler, Director, Division of Professional Regulation

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

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

Delaware Health Monitoring Program – David C. Mangler, Director, Division of Professional Regulation

Inventories, Records, and Reports – Marsha L.D. Ikner, Staff Coordinator, Liaison 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 – Paula Albert, Staff Coordinator, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Delaware Prescription Monitoring Program – Jason Slavoski, PharmD, PMP Administrator