CURES / PDMP

Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES),
California Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP)

The California Department of Justice, has a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) system which allows pre-registered users including licensed healthcare prescribers eligible to prescribe controlled substances, pharmacists authorized to dispense controlled substances, law enforcement, and regulatory boards to access timely patient controlled substance history information.

The California Attorney General's Office said that if doctors and pharmacies have access to controlled substance history information at the point of care it will help them make better prescribing decisions and cut down on prescription drug abuse in California. The role of the CURES/PDMP entrusts that well informed prescribers and pharmacists can and will use their professional expertise to evaluate their patients care and assist those patients who may be abusing controlled substances.

The state’s database known as the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (C.U.R.E.S) contains over 100 million entries of controlled substance drugs that were dispensed in California. Each year the CURES program responds to more that 60,000 requests from practitioners and pharmacists. The online CURES/PDMP system will make it much easier for authorized prescribers and pharmacists to quickly review controlled substance information via the automated Patient Activity Report (PAR) in an effort to identify and deter drug abuse and diversion through accurate and rapid tracking of Schedule II through IV controlled substances.

CURES/PDMP is committed to assisting in the reduction of pharmaceutical drug diversion without affecting legitimate medical practice or patient care. The CURES/PDMP is a valuable investigative, preventive, and educational tool for law enforcement, regulatory boards, educational researchers, and the healthcare community.

In order to obtain access to the CURES/PDMP system, Prescribers and Pharmacists must first register with CURES/PDMP by submitting an application form electronically. In addition, your registration must be followed up with a signed copy of your application and notarized copies of your validating documentation which includes: Drug Enforcement Administration Registration, State Medical License or State Pharmacy License, and a government issued identification. You can mail your application and notarized documents to:

Bureau of Criminal Identification & Investigative Services
Attn: PDMP Registration
P.O. Box 160447
Sacramento, CA 95816

Dissemination or distribution of CURES/PDMP information to anyone other than the registered user is strictly prohibited. Disciplinary, civil or criminal actions will be taken by the Department of Justice and/or appropriate Regulatory Board for any misuse or inappropriate accessing of patient data.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1966 (HIPAA), Health Information Privacy, Security Rules and all confidentiality and disclosure provisions of California Law cover the information contained in this database. All users must comply with HIPAA Privacy Rule Requirements when using the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program System. Find the US Department of Health and Human Services' HIPAA guidelines.

CURES Data

The CURES/PDMP program assists with the analysis of data for possible diversion of controlled substances. Upon request, CURES/PDMP will provide various reports to the local law enforcement, regulatory boards and researchers to aid in investigations and to assist with the tracking and monitoring of general trends in the use of Schedule II-IV controlled substances.

Submission of Controlled Substance Data

Pursuant to Health & Safety Code Section 11190, and Business & Professions Code Section 1170, all licensees who dispense Schedule II through IV controlled substances must provide the dispensing information to the Department of Justice on a weekly basis in a format approved and accepted by the Atlantic Associates Inc.(AAI),and the DOJ. Currently, the only format acceptable for controlled substance data submission is the ASAP 2009 Version 4.1.

Online Direct Dispense Reporting Application

Pursuant to California Health and Safety Code Section 11165(d), dispensing pharmacies and clinics must provide weekly dispensing reports to the DOJ on Schedule II, III, and IV prescription drugs. The DOJ, in coordination with Atlantic Associates, Inc. (AAI), released the online direct dispense application which can be accessed at www.aaicures.com. This application allows direct dispense practitioners and entities, including those reporting zero fills and pharmacies filling less than 25 prescriptions per month, to electronically report dispensing data to DOJ.

The DOJ no longer accepts paper direct dispense reports, nor grants reporting exemptions. Reporting exemptions previously granted will no longer be in effect. Direct dispensers will have until February 28, 2013 to conform to the new electronic reporting format. If you have already registered with AAI and are submitting files through the File Transfer Protocol (FTP), you do not need re-register for the Direct Dispense application.

In order to access this secured site, you must first complete the registration application at http://aaicures.com/register.for.access.php. Please note: Once a registration application has been submitted, an email confirmation from AAI will provide approved users with a Username and temporary Password. If an email confirmation is not received within 48 hours of submitting the registration application, please contact AAI at CACures@aainh.com or (800) 539-3370.

Instructions on how to register for an account, enter information, and add information can be found on the Direct Dispense website. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the instructions.

For additional information related to reporting controlled substance prescription data, please contact AAI at CACures@aainh.com or (800) 539-3370. If you wish to provide feedback to the DOJ relating the Direct Dispense application, please email PDMP_directdispense@doj.ca.gov

Lost Or Stolen Prescriptions

CURES/PDMP registered users have the ability to electronically submit the theft or loss of prescription forms or pads via the web application.

The reporting party must first notify the local law enforcement agency to obtain the report number that must be included in the PDMP theft/loss submission.