National RTPM stops drug misuse in NT
February 29, 2024
A SERIOUS case of medication misuse in the Northern Territory was avoided earlier this month, thanks to the use of the national Real Time Prescription Monitoring (RTPM) system, NT Health told Pharmacy Daily.
The incident recently took place when a patient in Darwin and Palmerston attempted to attain early supply of the drug pregabalin by approaching several pharmacies in succession.
However, due the pharmacists' use of the system, they were each made aware of the events in real time, from the patient being refused at one counter to the next.
The state's regulator was alerted and an incident investigation followed, revealed Samuel Keitaanpaa, Chief Pharmacist Medicines and Poisons at NT Health.
"I have no doubt that the diligence shown by pharmacists across Darwin and Palmerston directly reduced unsafe and potentially illegal supply of pregabalin," Keitaanpaa told Pharmacy Daily.
"In this case, the additional information gained through NTScript, access histories, dispensing instructions, records of cancelling and dispensing - all helped pharmacists self-identify there was risk associated with this script," he explained.
"I thank all pharmacists for their high level of professionalism and support for their colleagues in this matter and overall with high levels of checking NTScript."
Keitaanpaa added that in the future, he would like prescribers to also use the RTPM system to help reduce the risk of drug misuse. JG
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