Cdex, Inc. (fka CDEX)

[capnmike]

Sorry Amanita, but your notion that tamper resistant seals have solved the gigantic problem of drug diversion seems ridiculous based upon the overwhelming flood of evidence and documentation describing seals being defeated. This is happening on a regular basis.

Check out the WVEMS Pharmacy Committee Meeting of August 14, 2013
They document that a pharmacy tech was taking new Red Seals to replace broken seals. It appears to have been “Seal Breakage” and the diverter got new Seal without narcotics being accounted for (had possibly just exchanged box). Greater than 30 boxes, Fentanyl removed from vial, ampule etc. and replaced with who
knows what, ampule glued back together, etc.

http://www.wvems.org/

Hey Amanita, I bet there were locked carts and tamper resistant seals involved here, and yet at least 42 patients that needed pain medication got water or 'some other substance.'

http://www.nbc15.com/news/headlines/Former-UW-Hospital-nurse-accused-of-taking-morphine-263059741.html

"She was arrested and taken in to custody on Thursday," said UW-Madison Police spokesperson Marc Lovicott.

"She is taking these pain killers and she's replacing them with nothing... with no pain medication whatsoever," he explained.

Jones allegedly switched out what was meant to be morphine and hydromorphone with water and other basic fluid.

"We were able to identify at least 42 different times in which this individual did this... and that's 42 patients that didn't get the medication they needed for whatever reason they were in the hospital for," Lovicott said.

He says when she was questioned, she didn't deny a thing.

"She admitted to doing this... she admitted to taking the drugs since October of last year."

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Hey Amanita, perhaps you should consider notifying the CDC that "tamper seals" are available and have, in your opinion, solved the diversion problem, or....perhaps you should consider doing more research before you post.....
.......
CDC Drug Diversion Defined: Consequences for Hospitals and Other Healthcare Facilities; Guest Author: Kimberly New, JD BSN RN Chapt President National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators

June 11th, 2014

... drug diversion, or theft of medication, poses a continuous threat to patient safety. In today’s blog, I’ll be discussing the many ways in which drug diversion negatively affects hospitals. It’s hard to believe, but drug diversion occurs in facilities every day.

http://blogs.cdc.gov/safehealthcare/2014/06/11/drug-diversion-defined-consequences-for-hospitals-and-other-healthcare-facilities/

Risks of Healthcare-associated Infections from Drug Diversion

http://www.cdc.gov/injectionsafety/drugdiversion/index.html

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Amanita, what is needed is something that can quickly and inexpensively authenticate substances while they remain in the vial or syringe or other container. Authentication might be required on new shipments received with 'tamper seals' in place, where diversion may have occurred in the supply chain prior to a hospital's receiving dock. What is needed is something that can quickly and inexpensively authenticate drugs that are locked in the cabinets awaiting use to help patients. What is needed is something that can quickly and inexpensively authenticate narcotics that are to be wasted. Just having someone look at "some liquid substance" being wasted does NOT mean the fentanyl or other narcotic that was to have been wasted had been removed and replaced by someone. The big question we are waiting on is information indicating if the ValiMed G4 works as required and defined by pharmacy professionals, with the result being a much needed product. If it does not work, no success. If it does work, significant news-worthy success.