Reports: Pa. bill to create prescription drug database passes House

NEW YORK — The state Senate of Pennsylvania will vote on a bill to curb misuse of prescription drugs, according to published reports.

The Beaver County, Pa., Times reported that Pennsylvania House Bill 1694 cleared the lower house of the state legislature in a 191-7 vote. The bill is designed to stop doctor-shopping and pill mills by creating an electronic prescription drug database to track drugs dispensed by doctors and veterinarians. Doctors and pharmacists can then use it to verify patients' medication histories.

According to a recent survey by Trust for America's Health, Pennsylvania ranks 14th in the nation in drug overdose deaths, with 15.3 deaths per 100,000 people in 2010.