Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, claiming the lives of over 48,000 people per year. Two of the leading methods for suicide are firearms and self-poisoning (overdose). The State of Virginia is promoting safe and responsible care of lethal means to promote wellness and prevent suicide through its Lock & Talk Virginia program. Lock & Talk Virginia Suicide Prevention Initiative The Lock & Talk Virginia program is based on suicide prevention strategy and research from the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. Its components include: Safe Handling and Secure Storage of Lethal Means Lock & Talk Virginia distributes safety devices and instructions to help its community members secure prescription medications and firearms. By distributing safety devices such as medication lock boxes, medication deactivation kits, gun trigger locks, and gun cable locks, Lock & Talk is encouraging safekeeping of the leading methods of suicide. Nearly two-thirds (60%) of U.S. suicides involve firearms Child and teen firearm suicide rates have increased by 65% in the past 10 years One in five suicides in the U.S. employed overdose as the primary method 80% of overdose ...

Prescription drug delivery services have never been in higher demand than now. Couriers have seen a steep increase in residential demand during COVID-19 lockdowns, and there's no indication this demand will slow or stop anytime soon. As more patients rely on online pharmacies, pharmacy delivery services, and third-party courier services to deliver their medications in a safe, discreet, and timely manner, delivery services need to be aware of the regulatory issues involved with medication delivery. What regulatory issues should you be aware of when delivering prescriptions? Valid Prescriptions Only First and foremost, there are Federal regulations regarding prescription delivery that you must abide by, such as: No controlled substance that is a prescription drug may be delivered, distributed, or dispensed by means of the Internet without a valid prescription. According to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 21: "it is unlawful for any person to knowingly or intentionally fill a prescription for a controlled substance that was issued in a manner that constitutes dispensing by means of the Internet unless such person is a pharmacist who is acting in the usual course of his professional ...

Providing a prescription delivery service for prescription medications meets the needs of patients and can also help protect the health and safety of both patients and pharmacy employees. COVID-19 concerns and shelter-in-place orders have made delivery services essential. Some sources estimate that prescription delivery service can increase a pharmacy's revenue by 6% to 8%. Some pharmacies employ their own delivery drivers, while others contract with third-party same-day delivery services. Providing a prescription delivery service comes with a few key considerations, including: How should I package medications for delivery? When delivering prescriptions via courier, extensive packaging isn't typically required since the medications go directly from the pharmacy to the patient's home. Maintaining Privacy Protecting patient privacy is important when delivering medications via courier service. Medications should be packaged in a plain, non-transparent bag with just the patient's name and address on the outside of the bag. Securing Schedule II Drugs Certain Schedule II drugs, such as opioids and benzodiazepines, are at higher risk for diversion and abuse than other medications. Securing Schedule II prescriptions with a locking cap or other added security layer can help protect pharmacies and courier services ...

The epidemic of opioid misuse and abuse is having a profound economic impact on the healthcare system. In just five years, the claims charged to insurance companies to treat opioid dependence or abuse grew from $72 million to $722 million — an increase of almost 1,000%, according to Optum. The Rising Costs of Opioid Abuse to Health Payers A 2015 study of privately billed services found private payers’ average costs for a patient diagnosed with opioid abuse or dependence were more than 550% higher—almost $16,000 more per patient—than the per-patient average cost based on all patients’ claims. Opioid Abuse Costs Payers Up to $16,000 Per Patient Per Year In 2015, the per-patient charge average (across all diagnoses and all claim types for all patients in the dataset) was $11,404. The per-patient average total charge for a patient identified with an opioid abuse or dependence diagnosis for the same year was $63,356.  With respect to the amounts that are allowed by the insurance companies on a per-patient basis, the difference was 563%: the per-patient average allowed amount for all patients was $3,435 compared to the ...

A phone call is made to a Poison Control center in the United States once every 14 seconds. It’s a call that no parent wants to make and many go to great lengths to avoid. Yet accidental childhood poisoning is more common than you think. In 1962, President John F Kennedy proclaimed the third week of March to be National Poison Prevention Week. In honor of Poison Prevention Week, here are some facts that you need to know about poisonings, and tips on keeping your kids and family safe at home. Poisoning Is The Leading Cause Of Injury Death In The U.S. In 2017, poison control centers received 2.1 million phone calls. That’s a call to a poison control center approximately every 12 seconds. The youngest members of the household are at the greatest risk for poisoning inside the home. Young children (under six) account for almost half of all poison control calls. The National Center of Health Statistics has stated that poisoning is the leading cause of injury death in the U.S. Drugs, both prescription and illicit, cause the vast majority of poisoning deaths. Drugs And Medications Are The #1 Cause ...