WARNER SUPPORTS OXYCONTIN DATABASE

Program Would Be Restricted To Far Southwest Virginia

Computer Records Would Track Prescriptions Of Addictive Drugs, Said The
Governor's Spokesman.

RICHMOND - Gov. Mark Warner supports the idea of establishing a computer
database to track prescriptions of addictive narcotics like OxyContin, a
spokesman said Friday.

But the governor wants to review legislation (SB 425) authorizing a
prescription monitoring program in Southwest Virginia before deciding to
sign it, spokesman Kevin Hall said.

"It has gone through a number of technical changes and we want to take a
look at it," Hall said.

The General Assembly on Thursday passed the legislation, which would
authorize the creation of a two-year pilot program to monitor prescriptions
of painkilling drugs such as OxyContin, which has been blamed for more than
60 deaths and increased crime in Southwest Virginia. The program would be
limited to the state's Health Planning Region III, which covers far
Southwest Virginia and the cities of Radford and Martinsville and the
counties of Bedford, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Henry and Pulaski. Montgomery
County and the Roanoke Valley are not included.

The Department of Health Professions would establish the program and control
access to the database, according to the legislation. Authorities can obtain
information from the database only if a criminal investigation is under way.
The legislation also establishes criminal penalties for those who disclose
information from the database without authorization.