NWDA "SUSPICIOUS DRUG ORDER" MONITORING PROGRAM

NWDA "SUSPICIOUS DRUG ORDER" MONITORING PROGRAM is being used by 35 NWDA members. The National Wholesale Druggists' Association program is based on the Drug Enforcement Administration ARCOS (Automated Reports and Consolidated Order System) Dictionary, which lists all controlled substances. Members using NWDA's new plan have reported "bugs" in the system that forces many Schedule IV or V products, nonnarcotic Schedule III drugs, and new products to be analysed and reported manually, according to NWDA. State and Industry Section Chief Tom Gitchel explained that the ARCOS dictionary is not updated quickly enough to cover all products which would be reported under a suspicious order monitoring program. Controlled substances with the highest potential for abuse are given the highest priority for additions to the ARCOS dictionary, Gitchel said. DEA requires manufacturers and distributors who handle those items to report to DEA on a quarterly basis. Drugs with less abuse potential, although they would be included in the suspicious drug order monitoring program, are not added to the dictionary in as timely a manner. NWDA says that Amfac Drug Supply has offered to add quarterly DEA updates to NWDA's program. The DEA requires that drug manufacturers and distributors actively monitor orders of all controlled substances and report excessive orders, as part of their drug diversion surveillance. ("The Pink Sheet" Feb. 2, p. 7). The agency allows companies to set up systems of their choosing, not necessarily based on the ARCOS dictionary. The DEA also has not strictly defined what constitutes an excessive order.