The New Jersey Prescription Monitoring Program
(NJPMP) is an important component of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs' effort, in partnership with law enforcement and healthcare partners at the local, state, and federal levels, to halt the abuse and diversion of prescription drugs.
The NJPMP, established pursuant to
N.J.S.A. 45:1-45 et. seq., is a statewide database that collects prescription data on Controlled Dangerous Substances
(CDS) and Human Growth Hormone
(HGH) dispensed in outpatient settings in New Jersey, and by out-of-State pharmacies dispensing into New Jersey.
The NJPMP serves as an effective tool for identifying those who fraudulently obtain prescription drugs or are otherwise involved in the criminal diversion of prescription medication.
The information reported to and made available through the NJPMP will help detect individuals who may be "doctor shopping" – visiting multiple prescribers to obtain prescriptions for the same medications that they then have filled at different pharmacies, to obtain more of the prescribed substance than any one physician or pharmacist would allow.
The NJPMP will also aid in detecting "pill mills" – a prescriber's office, clinic, or other healthcare facility that regularly colludes in the prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances outside the scope of the prevailing standards of care, and in violation of New Jersey law on the prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances.
Pursuant to
N.J.S.A. 45:1-46(i)(3) and (5),
designated representatives of the State's Medicaid program, as well as a designated representative of the
State Board of Medical Examiners, New Jersey State Board of Dentistry, New Jersey Board of Nursing, New Jersey State Board of Optometrists, Board of Pharmacy, State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, or any other board in this State or another state that regulates the practice of persons who are authorized to prescribe or dispense controlled dangerous substances, may be granted access to prescription monitoring information upon presenting a
certification that the representative is engaged in a bona fide investigation of a designated practitioner or patient.
Pursuant to
N.J.S.A. 45:1-46(i)(4) and (6), Federal, State, and municipal law enforcement may be granted access to prescription monitoring information in two ways: (1) pursuant to a
court order for the information, accompanied by a
certification from the officer that he or she is engaged in a bona fide, specific investigation of a designated practitioner or patient; and (2) through a properly convened grand jury, pursuant to a
grand jury subpoena properly issued for the records.
Any request for prescription monitoring information – accompanied by Court orders, certifications, and/or grand jury subpoenas, as applicable – must be sent to the Administrator of the New Jersey Prescription Monitoring Program, as follows:
By regular mail:
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs
Attn: NJPMP Administrator
P.O. Box 47014
Newark, NJ 07101
By overnight mail or hand delivery:
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs
Attn: NJPMP Administrator
124 Halsey Street, 6th Floor
Newark, NJ 07101
The NJPMP Administrator may also be contacted by calling the Division of Consumer Affairs at 800-242-5846.
The Division is also required to provide certain NJPMP data, including prescriber-, pharmacist-, and/or patient-identifying information, to law enforcement agencies or professional licensing boards, if the Division determines a prescriber, pharmacist, or patient may have violated the law or committed a breach of prescribers' or pharmacists' standards of practice. Law enforcement agencies wishing to learn more about the NJPMP are invited to email the
NJPMP Administrator or call 800-242-5846.
Police departments may also join the
Division of Consumer Affairs in the fight against prescription drug abuse by becoming partners in
Project Medicine Drop. To learn about becoming a Project Medicine Drop partner,
contact the Division of Consumer Affairs.
