Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Laws: Reporting, Mandates & Access, 2014-2023

About this dataset:

Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) are centralized state databases containing patient-specific information on dispensed prescriptions for controlled substances. State laws require dispensers to report prescription information to the PDMP when they dispense controlled substances to patients, though the frequency varies by state. A growing number of states have implemented PDMP use mandates, or laws requiring providers to check the PDMP, but the circumstances under which these mandates apply vary widely. State laws vary on who can access the PDMPs, including delegates of health professionals, law enforcement, or Medicaid or Medicare agencies.  

This dataset presents state-level statutes and regulations on PDMP laws covering reporting requirements, use mandates, and access provisions across all 50 states and the District of Columbia in effect between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2023. Of note, seven states had PDMP use mandates prior to 2014 (see Protocol for details). The dataset reports the details of use mandates for four types of prescribers: physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and dentists.

This dataset was created in collaboration with subject matter expert Dr. Kao-Ping Chua, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Susan B. Meister Child Health Evaluation and Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, as well as Dr. Jennifer Waljee, MD, MS, Professor of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine. Funding was provided by NIDA grant R01DA057284 to Drs. Chua and Dr. Waljee.  

The data are available for download here.