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Pa. officials announce new online tool for reporting suspicious prescriptions

The announcement comes at a time when the state is struggling to curb a drug epidemic, fueled in part by heroin and opioids.

OxyContin is one of the opioid painkillers that may be legitimately prescribed, but then lead to addiction and even fatal overdoses, experts say.
OxyContin is one of the opioid painkillers that may be legitimately prescribed, but then lead to addiction and even fatal overdoses, experts say.Read moreAP Photo/Toby Talbot

HARRISBURG — State officials on Wednesday announced that they have launched a new online tool the public can use to report suspicious handling of prescriptions.

The announcement, made by Gov. Tom Wolf and Attorney General Josh Shapiro, both Democrats, comes as the state is working to curb an epidemic of drug addiction, fueled in large part by abuse of prescription opioids and heroin.

Shapiro said recent statistics show that drug overdoses are killing about 15 Pennsylvanians every day. “It is everywhere,” he said. “We know that addiction is a disease, not a crime,” he said later.

Anyone who wishes to report information about suspicious activity involving prescription drugs — such as doctor shopping, over-prescribing or fraudulent prescription slips — can submit information online at https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/Rx/. People can provide tips anonymously, according to the attorney general’s office.

Information submitted through the online form could be used to launch an investigation, if deemed appropriate.