Project Summary
Mance E. Buttram, Ph.D., Principal Investigator
Yamilka Stivers, M.P.H., Project Director
The non-medical use and diversion of prescription drugs is a substantial and ongoing public health problem. Drug diversion entails the unlawful channeling of regulated pharmaceuticals from legal sources (e.g., pharmacies, hospitals) to the informal market. Diversion activities can include doctor shopping, theft, and direct sale or trade in street markets.
The Cross-National Survey of Pharmaceutical Diversion was designed to collect national surveillance data on the nature and extent of pharmaceutical diversion from a network of law enforcement and regulatory agencies. Currently, the study involved approximately 200 diversion investigators in 49 states and includes rural, suburban and urban areas, as well as regional drug task forces and statewide agencies.
On a quarterly basis, investigators are sent a questionnaire that elicits information on new diversion cases involving targeted prescription opioids (buprenorphine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, oxymorphone, tramadol, tapentadol), as well as prescription stimulants, benzodiazepines, gabapentenoids and others.
This study forms part of the Researched Abuse, Diversion and Addiction-Related Surveillance system, operated by the Denver Health and Hospital Authority. RADARS surveillance programs are designed to target geographically and epidemiologically diversion segments of the U.S. population at risk for non-medical use and diversion of prescription medications.
If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact us.
The three photos in the header have a Creative Commons 2.0 license; each has been cropped. The oxycodone bottles image (left) is by Cindy Shebley. The cash photo (center) is by Marco Verch. The shot of a single spilled medicine bottle (right) is by The Javorac.