Ameritox

American Pain Society 31st Annual Scientific Meeting

Ameritox — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:49:25 +0000

American Academy of Pain Medicine 28th Annual Meeting

Ameritox — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:45:54 +0000

FDA approves shared system REMS for TIRF products (FDA.gov)

Ameritox — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:58:23 +0000

From FDA.gov: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a single shared Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for the transmucosal immediate-release fentanyl (TIRF) products. This new shared system will replace the individual REMS and allow prescribers and pharmacies to enroll into just one system, easing the burden on the health care system.

New powerful painkiller has abuse experts worried (Associated Press)

Ameritox — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 18:03:19 +0000

From the Associated Press: Drug companies are working to develop a pure, more powerful version of a highly abused medicine, which has addiction experts worried that it could spur a (…)

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Pharmaceutical Commerce: Ameritox proposes ongoing monitoring for pain patients, with a validated comparative database

Ameritox — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:14:50 +0000

From Pharmaceutical Commerce: There are many companies involved in drug testing for employees, professional athletes or law enforcement procedures, but there are relatively few that come at the topic from a healthcare perspective. One of these, Ameritox (Baltimore) has developed a pain medication monitoring system that goes well beyond testing the presence of narcotics (both prescribed and illicit); the company is offering its Rx Guardian system to pain specialists as a method of keeping patients on therapy—both in cases of overdosing, and cases where patients who should be at a certain dosage level are not (possibly because they are diverting pain pills into the street market).

>Read the full story

Stratify Patients for Opioid Misuse and Abuse Risk (Family Practice News)

Ameritox — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:05:51 +0000

From Family Practice News: Do you know which of your patients is likely to misuse or abuse opioid medications?

Report reveals startling increase in painkiller overdose deaths (Risk & Insurance)

Ameritox — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:25:39 +0000

From Risk & Insurance: The latest statistics are further evidence of the need to address the growing problem of opioid abuse in the workers’ comp system, including monitoring patients.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports nearly 15,000 deaths from overdoses of powerful painkillers in 2008 — more than three times the number less than 10 years before. The drugs include many prescribed for injured workers, including OxyContin — the number one prescribed drug in workers’ comp, according to the latest research from NCCI.

“We find 35 percent of our samples in workers’ comp don’t contain the drug the physician says is being prescribed,” said Mitch Freeman, vice president of workers’ comp sales for Ameritox, a drug monitoring company. “That’s a huge discrepancy between what is perceived to be taken and what is [taken]. Additionally, almost 25 percent [of the tests] contain a narcotic that the treating physician is not indicating are being prescribed.”

>Read the full story

More help sought to fight opioid abuse (amednews.com)

Ameritox — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:39:45 +0000

From amednews.com: At November’s Interim Meeting of the American Medical Association, the House of Delegates directed the AMA to increase attention to efforts aimed at curbing prescription drug abuse.

Georgia trying to control pill mills (AJC)

Ameritox — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:31:10 +0000

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: The number of “pill mills” is growing in Georgia and deaths from opioids are rising. Some in the state are seeking a new law to impose regulations (…)

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Ameritox joins Hero Health Hire to promote employment of disabled veterans

Ameritox — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 20:48:25 +0000

BALTIMORE, Md. – Nov. 11, 2011 – Ameritox^SM announced today that it has joined Hero Health Hire, a coalition of companies and other entities in the health care industry that are united with the goal of employing disabled veterans. Launched in Washington, D.C., at an industry summit that included the U.S. Secretary of Labor, members of Congress, and representatives of a number of government agencies and the military, Hero Health Hire includes companies, associations, and hospitals from across the spectrum of health care that collectively employ thousands of employees. Each has committed to working to help veterans find and retain jobs in health care.

“Ameritox is proud to be part of this important, united effort to help disabled veterans secure meaningful job opportunities,” said David Mack, vice president of human resources at Ameritox, the nation’s leader in Pain Medication Monitoring Solutions ®. “Veterans have a lot to offer Ameritox and other companies – they are dedicated workers, with unique backgrounds and skill sets.”

Each month, tens of thousands of “Wounded Warriors” – brave men and women in our military who have been injured or become ill during service – transition out of the military only to struggle as disabled veterans in the civilian workforce. For many, they may be interviewing for a job or writing a resume for the first time, unsure of how military skills and experiences might translate or what accommodations may be needed for transition to a civilian workplace.

The health care industry – including insurers, health plans, pharmaceutical companies, device manufacturers and hospital networks – is considered the fastest growing industry in our economy, requiring talented individuals to help meet multi-generational health care needs. The industry is also uniquely positioned to understand and support the needs of our nation’s Wounded Warriors.

Hero Health Hire unites the health care industry with government agencies and the military to understand and eliminate the barriers to employment facing Wounded Warriors, as well as developing ways to the support them in their transition.

Retired Maj. Gen. Elder Granger joins Hero Health Hire

The Hero Health Hire initiative also recently announced that retired Maj. Gen. Elder Granger, M.D., has been named honorary chairman of the initiative. Granger, currently co-founder and president of The 5Ps LLC, served the military for 37 years, most recently as deputy director of TRICARE Management Activity for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. In his role, Granger will provide valuable insights as partner companies establish their internal programs, serve as a liaison to the military community to help raise awareness about the program, and provide additional support as the program expands.

“I am honored to join the Hero Health Hire initiative and help our nation’s disabled veterans and all veterans find meaningful employment opportunities with America’s leading health care businesses,” said Granger. “Hero Health Hire comes at a critical time for our veterans, and I look forward to working with these businesses to recruit more disabled veterans and assist them in their transition.”

About Hero Health Hire:
Hero Health Hire, founded in 2011, is a coalition of health care industry organizations dedicated to helping disabled veterans obtain and maintain positions within the workforce that are well-suited to their skills, presenting professional, financial and personal stability for them and their families into the future. Participating organizations include Magellan Health Services, AGIS Network, Ameritox^SM, APS Healthcare, Apollo Health Street, BlueCross BlueShield of Louisiana, CareCore National, Centene Corporation, Cigna, Express Scripts, Health Net, Horizon Healthcare of New Jersey Inc., Humana Military Healthcare Services, Independence Blue Cross, Logisticare, Loyola Recovery Foundation, Regence, TriWest Healthcare Alliance and ValueOptions. For more information about the initiative, including resources for disabled veterans and information on joining the Hero Health Hire program, visit www.HeroHealthHire.com.

About Ameritox:
Ameritox is the nation’s leader in Pain Medication Monitoring Solutions®, offering specialized laboratory testing and reporting services. Ameritox’s expertise and innovative science provide physicians with insights and support to enhance and optimize the care of chronic pain patients. Ameritox offers the most thorough pain medication monitoring lab process – Rx Guardian^SM – with Rx Guardian CD^SM, the only pain medication screening with a proprietary normalization algorithm and a reference database of pain patients assessed for medication adherence. Patient results are compared against this database, helping physicians assess whether patients are taking their pain medications correctly. Monitoring through urine drug testing helps physicians make more informed clinical decisions and manage the risks and complexities associated with prescribing pain medications. Ameritox is headquartered in Baltimore, Md. with laboratory facilities in Midland, Texas and Greensboro, N.C. Ameritox can be found online at www.ameritox.com, on Twitter @Ameritox, or on Facebook at facebook.com/ameritox.

© 2011 Ameritox Ltd. All rights reserved. AMERITOX, the AMERITOX logos, AMERITOX AUTOREMINDER, AMERITOX MEDICATION MONITORING SOLUTIONS, AMERITOX UNIVERSITY, PAIN MEDICATION MONITORING SOLUTIONS, POWERED BY YOUR NEED TO KNOW and PROTECT YOUR PATIENTS. PROTECT YOUR PRACTICE. RX GUARDIAN, RX GUARDIAN CD, and RX GUARDIAN AUTOREMINDER are trademarks of Ameritox.

Panel advances bill aimed at stemming tide of prescription drug abuse (Boston Herald)

Ameritox — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:15:06 +0000

From the Boston Herald: For the second time in as many years, lawmakers are targeting prescription drug abuse, this time with a comprehensive bill that would require doctors to participate (…)

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Ameritox Supports Federal Implementation of Medication Monitoring for Chronic Pain Patients

Ameritox — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:24:02 +0000

BALTIMORE – Oct. 27, 2011 – Ameritox^SM, the nation’s leader in Pain Medication Monitoring Solutions®, earlier this month submitted a Statement for the Record for the Congressional hearing on “Costs of Prescription Drug Abuse in the Medicare Part D Program,” pointing to medication monitoring as a potential solution to improving adherence to pain medication, preventing drug diversion and aiding in lowering national healthcare costs. The hearing was held by the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services and International Security.

“As the nation’s leader in Pain Medication Monitoring Solutions, Ameritox is committed to helping state and Federal policymakers understand the reasons behind rising prescription drug abuse, and identifying proven and cost-effective solutions,” said Dr. Harry Leider, chief medical officer, Ameritox. “Medication monitoring is a critical tool in helping physicians provide the best possible care for patients. This simple, scientific tool can help assure doctors that the proper medications are getting to the millions of chronic pain patients who need it, and not contributing to misuse, abuse and diversion of prescription opioid therapy, costing payers millions of dollars each year.”

Multiple studies have shown that medication monitoring, along with improving patient care, has the added benefit of reducing healthcare costs. One study published in The American Journal of Managed Care in January found that patients on chronic opioid therapy who were likely non-adherent, as determined by urine drug testing results, had 14 percent higher health care costs and 35 percent more hospital days. The same study found that patients who may be adherent to their opioid regimen had annual costs that were approximately 12 percent lower than non-adherent patients.

Dr. David Nash, dean of the Jefferson School of Population Health at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA, said such studies demonstrate that drug monitoring that uses advanced laboratory technologies is becoming a standard of care because it is a key component to quality care for patients on long-term opioid therapy.

“Addressing chronic pain and improving adherence to opioid therapy presents us with a major opportunity to raise the quality of care and reduce healthcare costs at the same time,” Nash said.

About Ameritox
Ameritox is the nation’s leader in Pain Medication Monitoring Solutions®, offering specialized laboratory testing and reporting services. Ameritox’s expertise and innovative science provide physicians with insights and support to enhance and optimize the care of chronic pain patients. Ameritox offers the most thorough pain medication monitoring lab process – Rx Guardian^SM – with Rx Guardian CD^SM, the only pain medication screening with a proprietary normalization algorithm and a reference database of pain patients assessed for medication adherence. Patient results are compared against this database, helping physicians assess whether patients are taking their pain medications correctly. Monitoring through urine drug testing helps physicians make more informed clinical decisions and manage the risks and complexities associated with prescribing pain medications. Ameritox is headquartered in Baltimore, Md. with laboratory facilities in Midland, Texas and Greensboro, N.C. Ameritox can be found online at www.ameritox.com, on Twitter @Ameritox, or on Facebook at facebook.com/ameritox.

States target prescriptions by ‘pill mills’ (USA Today)

Ameritox — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:31:09 +0000

From USA Today: States are trying to outsmart the criminals by tracking prescriptions through statewide databases and by toughening their laws to make it more difficult for unscrupulous clinics to dispense large numbers of prescription pain pills. And in the latest move against drug tourists, states are linking their databases to try to stop dealers from roaming state to state.

York Daily Record: Admitted drug dealer sues doctor who prescribed him painkillers, seeks $43 million in damages

Ameritox — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:17:19 +0000

From the York Daily Record: A York man who pleaded guilty to illegally selling prescription drugs is suing the doctor who prescribed the painkillers to him for medical malpractice and (…)

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Adding a New Tool to the Pain Management Toolbox

Ameritox — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:37:40 +0000

Ameritox Chief Medical Officer & Senior Vice President Dr. Harry Leider, MD, MBA, FACPE, was interviewed by Pain Management magazine and PainLive.com, where he discussed pain management, pain medication monitoring and Ameritox’s Rx Guardian^SM process, featuring Rx Guardian CD^SM.

From Pain Management:

Anecdotal accounts and clinical studies alike indicate that primary care physicians and other clinicians who use opioid medications to treat patients for chronic pain are struggling to implement uniform and effective abuse and misuse assessment and risk management protocols. Urine drug testing is an important part of this process, but many non-pain specialists need additional guidance and resources to support their decision-making processes in terms of administering the tests and interpreting the results.

In this Q&A, Harry L. Leider, MD, MBA, FACPE, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Ameritox, discusses the role of urine drug testing in pain management, and explains how Rx Guardian CD, a reference database and normalization algorithm, can help clinicians manage risk in their patients being treated with opioids.

> Read the full article

AMSUS: Association of Military Surgeons of the United States

Ameritox — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:42:55 +0000

Tulsa World: Experts: State’s prescription drug abuse problem lacks simple solution

Ameritox — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 19:04:23 +0000

From Tulsa World: There’s no simple solution to Oklahoma’s extensive prescription drug abuse problem, state lawmakers were told Wednesday.

For seniors, addiction often begins with prescription drugs (Miami Herald)

Ameritox — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:17:23 +0000

From the Miami Herald: Approximately 13 percent of the U.S. population is 65 years old or older. Yet they constitute a third of the population using prescription drugs, according to (…)

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Why should we use UDT in our pain practices? (Emerging Solutions in Pain)

Ameritox — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:19:51 +0000

From Emerging Solutions in Pain: Steven D. Passik, PhD, discusses the need for uring drug monitoring in pain practices.

National survey shows a rise in illicit drug use from 2008 to 2010 (SAMHSA)

Ameritox — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:19:23 +0000

From SAMHSA: The use of illicit drugs among Americans increased between 2008 and 2010 according to a national survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) shows that 22.6 million Americans 12 or older (8.9-percent of the population) were current illicit drug users. The rate of use in 2010 was similar to the rate in 2009 (8.7-percent), but remained above the 2008 rate (8- percent).