In wake of Michael Jackson case, officials to unveil upgraded state prescription drug database

State officials are set to unveil improvements to their prescription medication tracking system this morning, including the capability to instantly flag whether patients are abusing those drugs, an issue highlighted with the deaths of celebrities Anna Nicole Smith and Michael Jackson.

The Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System, known as CURES, includes more than 100 million entries for controlled substances prescribed in California. But doctors and pharmacists had to wait days to find out whether a patient was seeking a prescription legitimately or not.

The upgraded system allows healthcare professionals to instantly track a broad range of controlled substances, including anti-anxiety medications, painkillers and sedatives through the Internet. It also gives law enforcement officials access to the database to combat prescription drug abuse.

The CURES system, which has been in use for a decade, contains the name of every doctor that prescribes controlled medicines, the person for whom the drug is prescribed, the quantity and the date.

California Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown, who will announce the improvements this morning at a press conference in downtown Los Angeles, argued for the need to upgrade the system last year after the death of Anna Nicole Smith.

Earlier this year, prosecutors charged Anna Nicole Smith's boyfriend and two of her doctors with repeatedly supplying the former Playboy centerfold with addictive prescription drugs since 2004, nearly three years before she died of an overdose.

More recently, state officials provided help to the LAPD in its investigation of the circumstances surrounding the death of pop star Michael Jackson, who died June 25 in what the Los Angeles County coroner's office has ruled was a homicide due to acute intoxication from the anesthetic propofol.

In search warrants, police have cited Jackson’s use of pseudonyms to procure prescriptions. Brown told The Times last month that authorities wanted to be able to monitor prescriptions to make sure that the drugs were linked to a diagnosis of a medical problem and not being abused.

--Andrew Blankstein

Photo: Michael Jackson in 2005. Credit: Michael A. Mariant / Associated Press

Comments

[Sad Reader]

Who sad Michael Jackson used the fake names? Did he? It was his handlers who used the phony names and got the prescriptions for him. Why is his death going unpunished when we know it was the doctor who was supposed to take care of him that killed him?

We are getting disgusted.

[Lillie]

This move is long over due. There are many famous people abusing prescription drugs. It is often due to the very demanding, high pressured and competitive business they are in. However addictions to subscription drugs is a major problem for many different walks of life. I hope the solution to easily tract how and what drugs have been issued a person will put many abuse issues to rest.

[Sam]

The article says only if you have a medical problem, you take those drugs.

Well he had plenty of health problems, and the doctor injected the wrong cure. Simple as that.

Conrad will pay for the rest of his life.

[Harold Ard]

This is sad. A data base that is trying to keep a couple of people from committing suicide. You and I both know the chases it will help is dim. while the headline L.A. city budget showdown may lead to hundreds of layoffs. This is thinking I do not understand.

[fufu]

subscription drugs LOL

[belicoso]

This was needed years ago and it is a pity that so many highly publicized deaths were needed before such a database could be instituted. As long as people are not held rigorously to the law enablers like Howard K. Stern (in the case of Anna Nicole Smith) and Conrad Murray (in Jackson's case) will continue to exercise a sort of "hangers on via prescription drug procurement." Dr. Murray was clearly out of line in his practices with Michael and Howard K. Stern even had drugs issued in his name which were meant for Anna Nicole. I'm sure the constant sedation of Anna Nicole played a role in Howard maniupulating Anna to take her bogus suit against the Marshall family farther and farther and to the same end I am sure Dr. Murray was even more inclined to keep a steady supply of drugs for Michael once he heard that a new tour (bringing in incredible revenue) was in the works. It all adds up to a need for more strict enforcement of the regulations regarding the issuance of prescription drugs as a means to deter people like Stern and Murray.

[Hall]

When the National Security Agency can't sift through all the inbound with its incredible computers, regulators in a state that's firing staff are gonna track all the Xanax prescriptions written for John Smith?

As well as all the Xanax prescriptions written for anybody?

Do you actually think ... pick a name ... Tom Cruise ... is going to allow his name to be put on a bottle of Valium?

Another utter waste of money we don't have!

[Chante]

This is great that they are doing this but they should have taken this action in 2004 when they knew Michael was getting drugs under pseudonyms.

It is a shame that folks react when something bad happens.

[carmen Isla]

Hi. But at least this "imprudence homicide" will be punished or not?. Because I think that Everybody has human rights less, Micky (as we say in Spain). MAybe the doctor wasn´t guilty at all but,he was negligenter and was scared about Michael´s death and he didn´t called the paramedic´s assistance or hospital in time. He´s cardiologist. And he shown to the first son Michael´s death (so crude). And nobody that he was bad?. Really?. Please, at least, the fans w.w.w. will order the demand to International Human Rights at La HAya, only for shame. There´s not justice... Kiss Micky. Michael Jackson. You´re the ONE.

[Tina Diaz]

They should do this and I'm not against it because to many people are taking advantage of these drugs but doctors are also because they don't seem to care about the welfare of their patients they only care about the money. Michael Jackson died not because he abused the medication but because his doctor did not care enough about him, he was in trouble with his own personal life and was so careless with another human being life it was all about the money and personal self and problems. I believe like La Toya said I truly believe Michael was murdered it doesn't have anything to do with his so called as they say addiction. He looked so well and healthy in his rehearsal video he did not look like a man on drugs, someone did something to cause his death, this is my opinion and believes. Someone didn't want him to make his come back it's ovious. The world needs to do the right thing here and that's justice in this case, stop digging up dirt and mking lies. He's gone now let him rest hasn't he been tortured enough.

[SKS]

Why wasn't this done back in 2004 when they were invading Michael Jackson house and trying to prove something that he didn't do and wasn't capable of??? They had proof of the doctors and prescriptions in alias names but didn't try to do something to help him with that..........the LAPD and Tom Snedden was so busy trying to crush Michael Jackson's world with lies instead of trying to help! Michael Jackson was a beautiful, kind, loving person that was a genius on so many levels that all of us, the world let down because he was so trusting and loving of people! I hope that they make the doctor pay because as a dr. he took a vow to protect and take care of patients not give them meds that eventually kill a person. If you can't trust you doctor to take care of you health wise then why have doctors. So Michael Jackson trusted that he would be okay with a doctor to monitor him just like any of us would and instead the doctor killed him.........so my question is when are the doctors going to start be held accountable so that these unreasonable deaths quit happening to our genius' of the world like Michael Jackson who brought us so much love!!!