NEW LAW TAKES AIM AT 'DOCTOR SHOPPING'

Gov. Bob Wise has signed a bill that requires pharmacists to report
prescriptions they fill for OxyContin and other controlled substances.

The new law, signed by the governor Friday, adds schedule III and IV drugs
to a central repository that will allow physicians to ensure that patients
aren't getting the same medicine from more than one doctor, according to a
news release from the governor's communications office.

"The bill was designed to prevent doctor shopping while still respecting
and preserving the patient's right to obtain doctor-prescribed pain
medication," Wise said. "The new law will also help law enforcement access
these records after they've established probable cause."

The Legislature passed a similar bill in 2001, but Wise vetoed the measure
because it didn't adequately protect the privacy concerns of patients,
according to the release.