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Archives for : Senator Jack Latvala

U.S. Surgeon General Speaks Out

August 31, 2015: Screening “An American Epidemic” – Community Education

FedUP is going local in Broward and Palm Beach

Please join this event being held on

“International Overdose Awareness Day”.

Grass roots advocacy groups, United Way of Broward County and Palm Beach Coalition on Substance Abuse are collaborating to end the STIGMA and save lives.

Community education

Rev_IOAD-8_31_15 Event Flyer

FL’s PDMP (E-Forcse) is in jeopardy – petitioning for “mandatory” usage

The success of and data reliability of ANY data base, is first,

that it be used.

Florida physicians and other prescribers usage of FL’s PDMP (E-Forcse)

VOLUNTARY!

As a result, only 12% of prescribers are using the FL PDMP in the

The Pill Mill Capitol of the United States

 

We are petitioning YOU to help us save lives!

 

Senator Eleanor Sobel (D – District 33), Vice Chair of the FL Health Policies Committee, said she would sponsor a Bill for us making the usage of the PDMP, by physicians, mandatory for schedule II, III, and IV drugs.

http://www.flsenate.gov/senators/s33 

Eleanor Sobel

The bill would include the interstate exchange and possibly Naloxone and decreasing the 7 day window for script data entry.  We have recently spoken with her office and were told the bill is written, however Senator Sobel is having second thoughts regarding actually filing this bill.

We need all of you to call her office and tell her why Florida needs to strengthen the PDMP by mandating physician usage.

Things to say when you call and/or leave a message:

  1. The PDMP is ineffective if physicians are not using it and we will continue to lose lives.
  2. FL will continue to see unacceptable physician prescribed over dose rates.
  3. There is a federal push for the mandatory use of the PDMP federally via S.2839
  4. The AMA supports full funding and staffing for up-to-date, interoperable, at the point-of-care prescription drug monitoring programs that are integrated into a physician’s workflow. And the AMA has communicated its support for most elements of the Obama Administration’s Plan to Combat Prescription Drug Abuse and Diversion including a national PDMP with interstate exchange operating in real time.
  5. Federally, S.2839 Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act 2014, includes the mandate for usage of a PDMP with inter-state exchange operating in real time. US Senator Bill Nelson (FL-D) has cosponsored this bill. http://www.billnelson.senate.gov/

Call Senator Sobel

        954-924-3693(Broward) or 850-487-5033(Tallahassee)

Email Senator Sobel:

        Yale Olenick: [email protected]

Call/Email your Senator or Representative:

Senator: https://www.flsenate.gov

Representatives: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/sections/representatives/myrepresentative.aspx

Thank you for helping us save lives during this CDC declared PHYSICIAN prescribed drug epidemic.

 

Heroin use is a public health emergency

that calls for legislative solutions

(8/10 heroin users started with a PHYSICIAN prescription drug)

The Washington Post – January 2, 2014

LINK: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/heroin-use-is-a-public-health-emergency-that-calls-for-legislative-solutions/2015/01/02/b9a8cb6a-8fb0-11e4-ba53-a477d66580ed_story.html

Naloxone in FL? Board of Medicine says YES!

555011_711685038848511_1183186764_n The Skeeterhawk Experiment

On Friday, December 5, 2014, the Florida Board of Medicine said “YES” to a Florida physician who was asking permission to prescribe naloxone to his patient at risk of opioid overdose, for administration by a third party to that patient, via intramuscular(IM) kits, off-label intranasal (IN) kits, or auto-injector.

Florida takes a HUGE step!

It has been a lot of work since our little One Spark project, but it has been worth every blood, sweat and tear.

Thank you, doctors, for exhibiting tremendous courage!

StoppNow (Maureen Kielian)logoand Suncoast Harm Reduction Project Suncoast Harm Reduction Project (Julie Negron and Wendy Nebrija) were in attendance to support the efforts of Skeeterhawk’s Kelly M Corredor.

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DEA Workshop

Stoppnow was invited to speak at the Statewide DEA workshop held November 5th 2014. We are very grateful to the role DEA and Law Enforcement has played to eradicate the epidemic of prescription drug abuse that our country is plagued by.  We were pleased to be invited to spend the afternoon with the Diversion Agents and share our experience with the tragedy and suffering of so many in our communities. We appreciate all that they and law enforcement are contributing. Sherrif Lamberti once said that we can’t arrest our way out of this; but quite often that seems to be the case.

We have requested a meeting with the Florida Surgeon General, John Armstrong and look forward to addressing a solution to the backlog of high prescribing doctors. They are not being brought before the Board of Medicine in a timely manner and continue to be licensed and prescribing and causing deaths.

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Position Statement: FL PDMP and “Controlled Substance Prescribers”

9-8-14-revision_stoppnowControlled Substance Prescriber Definitio1

Maureen and I did some traveling this week

We met with DOH, chief Bureau of Enforcement. He recognizes the need to restructure the DOH to better investigate and discipline/remove bad doctors. We have faith in his ability and will remain in touch. We spoke about the need for DEA to reduce the production amount in order to save lives and the DOH part in this to make sure the bad doctors are eliminated from our system. He informed us that CVS and Walgreens have placed self-imposed quota’s already We are going to try to quantify this before going to Washington as this information will help our cause.
We also scheduled meetings to garner support for the Bill Senator Eleanor Sobel has agreed to write to make the PDMP mandatory for doctors to use in Florida and to participate in the inter-state exchange. Many we met with have heard from people in their districts in chronic pain and not being able to get their prescribed opiates. Your Senators and Congressman both state and National must hear from you to tell of the suffering keeping this drug on the market in such quantities is causing.
. Representative Matt Hudson District 80 — met with Legislative Assistant
This meeting was not as positive as we had hoped. The person we met with felt the Fl pill mill situation is solved. Much more concerned with the people suffering from not being able to get their opoiates. (I am including contact information for those of you who would like to share your view 239 417-6270 E: [email protected]
.U.S. Congressman Vern Buchanan — Met with District Director who expressed a great interest in the information we shared. She too, as all have heard from the chronic pain sufferers but also from mothers that have lost children due to the presciption drug epidemic. We would like Vern Buchanan to support S-1657 and also to direct us regarding the Senate Investigation letter of Purdue Pharma which continues to sit in the Finance committee And no investigation is taking place. We will continue to be in touch with this office and believe the help we seek will not be ignored. 941 951-6643 [email protected]
.Senator Jack Latvala— Met with Legislative Assistant. She also has heard from both sides and is able to view problem with empathy. She was very helpful to us and will review information we spoke of with the Senator. 727 793-2797 [email protected]
.Senator Maria Sachs We had a scheduled meeting on Monday June 30th 2014 at 2p. She stood us up. We spent 45 minutes with her aid and left much information asking for her support to strengthen the PDMP. Her aid apologized to us stating that she said she was going to be there. There has been no follow up to date.
.Ellyn Bogdanoff will be running against Maria Sachs in November. We have a meeting scheduled with her on Monday.
. Joe Kaufman who is running for Congress against Debbie Wasserman Schultz. This would be a big upset but we would have someone in office who would be supportive of our efforts. He spent time with us and listened to all our needs.
*** We have meetings scheduled in Washington DC when we will be there to support the FED UP RALLY
Senator Manchin’s office, Senator Feinstein’s office, Senator Grassley’s office, Senator Udall’s office, Representative Blackburn’s office and thanks to a mom from Kentucky, Emily Walden, a meeting with the DEA in Arlington Va.

Stay tuned

FYI:  Florida: (August 12, 2014) Congressman V. Buchanan’s Safe Prescribing Act has been co-sponsored by over 50 bipartisan members of Congress including five distinguished Committee Chairmen.
“Today’s announcement is a win for every man, woman, and child who has endured the horrors of prescription drug abuse,” said Buchanan, the House sponsor of the Safe Prescribing Act of 2013 (H.R. 1285). “We are one giant step closer to curbing an epidemic that wreaks havoc on countless families and communities across our state.”