Cmdr John Burke

Sports stars, actors, singers, politicians, and others who may want to disguise their identity when using a controlledsubstance prescription are breaking the law.

Veterinarians can prescribe virtually any prescription drug, making them a potential target of drug seekers looking for opioids or other drugs.

Although RoxyBond is not the first abuse-deterrent oxycodone immediaterelease product, it is different.

My first introduction to the world of counterfeit prescription drugs was approximately 2 decades ago, when someone who worked for Pfizer showed me 2 identical-looking Viagra tablets on screen at a drug-training course.

Any law enforcement officer who has worked in drug diversion knows the importance of the pharmacy profession.

Much of rural America has been inundated with prescription drug abuse for decades. Although this issue continues to plague society, many overdose deaths are now occurring because of polydrug abuse, of which heroin is a major contributor.

One topic of prescription drug diversion not discussed as much as it ought to be these days involves your medicine cabinet.

For many years, hydrocodone was the most prescribed drug in the United States—overall, not just among controlled substances—and available only in immediate-release form, mostly in combination with acetaminophen.

We are undoubtedly in the midst of one of the most devastating drug abuse eras the United States has ever seen. Heroin by itself or, more likely, laced with fentanyl or carfentanil, along with pharmaceutical opioids, is causing thousands of overdoses across our country each year.

If the opiate addiction problem were easy to solve, it would have been over long ago, and whoever found the solution would be wealthy beyond imagination.

A recent study from Vanderbilt University in Nashville proclaimed that prescription drug monitoring programs can reduce prescription drug"related overdose deaths.

Much of the turmoil over the death of Prince has subsided, but the news about his death and the public's response have been interesting, especially when it was revealed that fentanyl and other controlled substances were determined to be part of the cause of death.

Lately, the number of counterfeit prescription drugs seems to have exploded in the United States.

In the several decades I have been in the business of following the diversion of pharmaceuticals, I have noticed a pendulum effect regarding this issue.

Sometimes the mere scope of a problem can deter us from taking action; however, recent meetings with 2 surgeons have reminded me of the power of focused and passionate individuals.

In October 2014, hydrocodone combinations were rescheduled as Class II controlled substances.

Dayton, along with most of the rest of Ohio and much of the nation, is inundated with heroin abuse.

A common problem is that police officers are prone to job-related injuries and prescribed pain medication, resulting in drug dependence or addiction.

Those of you who follow this column know that I have a special interest in the diversion of controlled substances within health care facilities.

I have been in law enforcement for almost 48 years, a portion of which especially the past 25 years has been primarily devoted to fighting illegal drug trafficking.

Pharmacy employees need to do everything they can to identify suspects.

The frequency of pharmacy robberies has slowly risen over the past decade or so, with a recent upsurge in these dangerous crimes.

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) launched a new program and website during its annual meeting in May.

The results of recent reports from the Drug Enforcement Administration indicate that pharmacy robberies increased significantly between 2014 and 2015.

It was recently announced that some hospitals in certain states are using a system to track patients who shop hospital emergency departments.

I briefly got to know a person who I think has a more balanced approach to the drug problem by highlighting the need for more rehabilitation and, at the same time, endorsing the pursuit and prosecution of those trafficking illegal substances, including prescription medication.

Nasal naloxone is a last-ditch effort, but it doesn't solve the long-term problem of addiction in the United States.

With multiple pharmaceutical manufacturers now entering the market with abuse-deterrent formulations of opiate pain relievers, insurance carriers are getting up in arms at the costs of these drugs.

The places affected by nighttime diversion are emergency departments and 24-hour and late-night pharmacies.

In mid-December 2014, the Monitoring the Future survey results provided good news regarding trends among America's teens. The results are encouraging on many fronts, but especially regarding pharmaceutical use.