Inquiry into the misuse/abuse of benzodiazepines and other forms of pharmaceutical drugs in Victoria : final report / Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee.

  • Victoria. Parliament. Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee
Date:
2007
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Inquiry into the misuse/abuse of benzodiazepines and other forms of pharmaceutical drugs in Victoria : final report / Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Page 74 104 102 104 The prescribing of alprazolam will be required to be reported monthly by the dispensing pharmacist. This reporting will be in a similar manner as the current reporting of dispensed schedule 8 medications. Any prescribing of alprazolam for more than one month to persons receiving opioid analgesics will require an authority to prescribe. Prescribers will be notified not to prescribe alprazolam if the patient is receiving opioid analgesics from another prescriber. (Currently persons declared as drug dependent cannot have S4 drugs prescribed by prescribers other than their authorised prescriber. However this is only detected when the prescribing comes to our attention through other ad hoc reports. The branch does not have access to PBS [Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme] data in order to detect such prescribing.) Patients receiving methadone or who are on the pharmacotherapy program will not be allowed to have alprazolam prescribed concurrently unless this is endorsed by the Director of Alcohol and Drug Services in accordance with the pharmacotherapy policy and guidelines. Consultation with the Tasmanian Branch of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists will be sought in regard to these recommendations, along with their opinion in relation to the appropriate use of alprazolam given the concerns raised in this report.