New Nebraska Law Requires All Prescription Drugs to be Reported to PDMP

On January 1, 2018, Nebraska became the first state to require all dispensers to report all prescription drugs dispensed for an enhanced medication history, as required by Neb. Rev. Stat. 71-2454(2). 

The Nebraska Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) is a statewide tool for prescribers and dispensers that collects dispensed prescription information and serves as a safety tool that offers medical providers more comprehensive information about their patient’s medication and prescription history and treatment.

Staring in 2017, Nebraska required all dispensed controlled substance information to be submitted on a daily basis, but with the new year, Nebraska Law now requires that dispensers report all prescription drugs dispensed to the PDMP.  In doing such, Nebraska is seeking address issues with opioid and controlled substance medications — i.e. opioid abuse — as well as adverse medical effects, drug-drug interactions medication adherence and hospital readmissions issues.

With the enhanced reporting and presumably a more complete view of each patient’s prescription history, the new Nebraska reporting system gives pharmacists the opportunity to catch and proactively address potential red flags, adverse reactions and opioid abuse issues, provided they have the time to thoroughly review each patient’s profile and prescription records prior to dispensing prescriptions.