Intentional Misuse of Prescription Drugs: Impact of a Provincial Pharmacy Network

Prescription drug misuse is acknowledged as an escalating problem in jurisdictions across Canada, including Newfoundland and Labrador. The extent is not clearly understood in the absence of a formal prescription drug monitoring or surveillance system. The 2009 evaluation, Illegal Use of Prescription Drugs Prior to Implementation of a Pharmacy Network revealed that health professionals believed that the Newfoundland and Labrador Pharmacy Network would be an important tool to reduce prescription drug misuse in the region. This March 2014 evaluation examined the impact of the Pharmacy Network on prescription drug misuse in a region of the province with a moderate level of connectivity to the Pharmacy Network.