Pam Bondi Pushes 'Pill Mill' Rules

Attorney General Pam Bondi stressed the urgency of Florida's "pill mill" problem Thursday, emphasizing the need for new rules that would help law-enforcement officers combat doctors who prescribe powerful painkillers to otherwise healthy patients.

The new rules would create new standards of care for physicians operating pain clinics, like mandatory drug testing of patients, thorough physical examinations, requiring better reporting and record-keeping of prescription drugs and greater access to those records by law enforcement, and increased penalties for doctors and patients who break the rules.

"Our state has become the destination for distributors and sellers and it has got to stop," Bondi said.

Because of a measure passed by the Legislature during a special session in November, the rules require legislative approval. Bondi said that Gov. Scott, who halted all new rules upon entering office, is on board with the rules, and legislative leaders are also behind the measure, and this should be one of the top priorities of the 2011 legislative session.

Full story to follow.

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