By Brenna Angel
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wuky/local-wuky-963286.mp3
WASHINGTON – Prescription drug abuse was the focus of a congressional hearing in Washington Thursday. Florida Governor Rick Scott and Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear sat side by side before the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
They both agree prescription drug abuse is an epidemic. But Governor Scott isn't sold on the effectiveness of statewide databases that monitor the flow of painkillers. His main concern is privacy.
"When hackers broke into Virginia's prescription drug database, they obtained more than 8.2 million patient records and a total of nearly 36 million prescriptions. In Florida, I continue working with my legislative partners to find solutions that protect patient privacy."
Governor Beshear says Kentucky's database, known as KASPER, has a successful track record.
"There is slight risk, whether it's e-health records or whatever, that some breach can occur. But when you're looking at 82 Kentuckians a month dying, when you're looking at about 7 Floridians a day dying because of drug overdoses of legal prescription drugs, that's a pretty easy answer for me."
Beshear has been urging Scott to implement a database. And after months of a legal holdup, it appears Florida is moving forward with its system.
Scott says he also wants to tackle the pill mill problem through law enforcement and cracking down on distribution.