Nurses Group Pushes Pill Database to Gov. Rick Scott

Michael Steighner, president of the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthetists, sent a letter to Gov. Rick Scott and legislative leaders Friday urging him to reconsider his position on eliminating the state's prescription drug database designed to help doctors track patients' prescriptions.

"As anesthesia professionals intimately involved with the care of our patients with acute and chronic pain, we understand the fine line between careful, rational pain management and addiction. While I understand concerns have been raised about the program, FANA believes dismantling the PDMP would be detrimental to the goal of ending 'pill mills' in Florida.

"The unfortunate and grim reality is that Florida has become ground zero for 'pill mills' because neighboring states have taken strong action to end this epidemic. Thirty-four states have implemented a PDMP, greatly reducing prescription drug trafficking and abuse in those states. Florida must follow suit to ensure the end to the so-called 'safe haven' for 'doctor shoppers' and 'pill mill shops.' Seven Floridians die every day due to prescription drug overdose and it is incumbent on our elected officials to stop this crisis from escalating. Eliminating the PDMP would be counterproductive to the good work being done to turn around this horrifying statistic.

"FANA supports the aggressive efforts launched by Attorney General Pam Bondi to address this critical issue. We applaud her commitment to confronting this epidemic and ask you to ensure that Attorney General Bondi continues to have the necessary tools, such as the PDMP, to battle this epidemic," the letter reads in part.