December 16 & 17, 2019; Hyatt Regency Birmingham - The Wynfrey Hotel – Birmingham, Alabama

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) held a Practitioner Diversion Awareness Conference (PDAC) on December 16 & 17, 2019 in Birmingham, AL. This was a one-day conference, repeated on the second day, for the convenience of the practitioner community. The conference was developed and designed to address the growing problem of diversion of pharmaceutical controlled substances throughout the United States. In addition to pharmacy robberies and thefts, pharmaceutical controlled substances are often diverted by way of forged prescriptions, doctor shoppers, or illegitimate prescriptions from rogue practitioners. The objective of this conference was to educate healthcare professionals on ways to address and respond to potential diversion activity.

There were 183 veterinarians, dentists, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners in attendance. The conference attendees received approximately seven hours of instruction on a variety of topics. The presentations included: The Opioid Epidemic and the Practice of Legitimate Medicine; Drugs of Abuse and Trends; Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners; Prescriptions for Controlled Substances; Methods of Diversion and Effective Controls for Controlled Substances; Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners, Physicians Health Program; Inventories, Records, and Reports; Telemedicine; Registration Issues; Disposal, Return of Patients Meds, and Options for Patients; Training and Resources; and Alabama Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.

Selected presentations from the Birmingham, Alabama PDAC are available below.

The Opioid Epidemic and the Practice of Legitimate Medicine – Antonio Guzman, Associate Section Chief, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Drugs of Abuse and Trends – Paula Albert, Staff Coordinator, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Preventing Unlawful Prescribing & Controlled Substance Diversion & Abuse, A Perspective from the ALBME – E. Wilson Hunter, General Counsel, Alabama Board of Medical Examiners

Prescriptions for Controlled Substances – Antonio Guzman, Associate Section Chief, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Methods of Diversion and Effective Controls for Controlled Substances – Aziz Elkholy, Acting Section Chief, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Caring for our Own: AL Professional Health Program (APHP) – Sandra L. Frazier, MD, FASAM, Medical Director & , APHP, Assistant Dean of Professional Development, UAB

Inventories, Records, and Reports – Dwight Cokely, Staff Coordinator, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Telemedicine – Marsha Ikner, Staff Coordinator, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Registration Issues – Paula Albert, Staff Coordinator, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Disposal, Return of Patient Meds, and Options for Patients – Dwight Cokely, Staff Coordinator, Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, DEA

Training & Resources – Leslie Faulkner, Diversion Outreach Coordinator, New Orleans Division, DEA

Alabama Prescription Monitoring Program (PDMP): A Tool in the Fight Against Controlled Substance Misuse and Abuse – Nancy Bishop, RPh, State Pharmacy Director, Alabama Department of Public Health