Can drug design inhibit abuse?
A recent federal report indicates that prescription drug abuse is now the second leading category of illicit drug use, following marijuana use. Control strategies typically focus on reducing the diversion of prescription drugs from legitimate sources. The proliferation of unregulated Internet sources, however, has rendered control strategies less effective. This study examines a new approach that focuses on reducing abusability through the use of abuse-resistant drug designs. Drugs with and without such designs are compared and abuse levels assessed using multiple sources. In every instance, drugs employing abuse-resistant designs were found to have significantly lower levels of abuse than comparator drugs without such designs.
Coleman
John J
JJ
Prescription Drug Research Center, Fairfax, Virginia 22030, USA. jcoleman@PDRCLLC.com
Bensinger
Peter B
PB
Gold
Mark S
MS
Smith
David E
DE
Bianchi
Robert P
RP
DuPont
Robert L
RL
D016303:Clinical Pharmacy Information Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015195:Drug Design; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004363:Drug Utilization; D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*
D011619:Psychotropic Drugs