House advances proposal for statewide prescription drug monitoring program

The Missouri House of Representatives passed a bill Monday that would create a statewide prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP).

A PDMP is designed to be a resource for physicians and pharmacists by collecting data on prescriptions of various drugs to reduce chances of addiction and abuse.

Efforts to create a statewide program have fallen short for several years, but Rep. Holly Rehder, R- Sikeston, said she was optimistic this session would be different. Missouri is the only state in the country without a statewide PDMP program.

Rehder has sponsored the bill every year since 2014. Details of the bill and the resulting program have been “massaged” over the course of those years, Rehder said before the House voted 103-53 in the bills favor.

Rehder said some of the changes over the years include: the automatic deletion of records older than three years; requiring that medical information in the program cannot prevent someone from purchasing a gun and making the disclosure of private information from the PDMP a class E felony.

Rep. Sara Walsh, R- Ashland, voted against the bill in committee and on the House floor. She said the potential price tag was a concern.

“I do have concerns about the privacy impact,” Walsh said. “It seemed that there wasn’t really for sure exactly how much the expense would be. Plus it would be a brand-new program and more.”

Rehder said the state could receive grants for the program that would bring the total cost down to about $500,000 or less.

Other representatives who spoke against the bill said the program creates collection of citizens’ private data that could put them at risk of hackers and other breaches.

“The patients whose names are in that database are the ones who are going to suffer most,” said Rep. Mike Moon, R- Ash Grove.

Rehder said there is no evidence to suggest PDMPs are targets of data breaches.

“The argument is still the same as it was in 2013, yet we haven’t seen any evidence of that concern,” Rehder said.

“I know folks have their stick and their things about the particular bill, but at the end of the day we’re talking about saving lives,” said Rep. Bruce Franks Jr. (D, St. Louis).

A Senate version of the same bill was voted down this month by the Seniors, Families and Children Committee.

One of the reasons why Rehder is hopeful the bill will continue to progress is Senate leadership. Senate President Pro-Tem Dave Schatz, R- Sullivan, has supported PDMP legislation in the past.

The St. Louis County Department of Health launched a PDMP in 2017, and since then over 60 cities and counties have joined the program. According to the department’s website, 84% of the state’s population is included in the county program.

Rehder said even if her bill fails to make it to the governor’s desk, the St. Louis County PDMP will likely expand statewide.

“We’re still seeing counties added continuously into that program,” Rehder said.