Springfield City Council votes 7-1 to set up prescription drug monitoring program

Springfield City Council on Monday voted 7-1 to implement a local prescription drug monitoring program, with two members in favor describing it as the most important vote of their time on the governing body.

"I don't think there's been any other time in my five years on council that I have been able to place a vote that has a potential to save a life," Councilwoman Jan Fisk said. "And we save one life, then it's been worth it."

Councilwoman Kristi Fulnecky cast the sole vote against implementation.

The bill approved Monday was modeled on an ordinance implemented in St. Louis County. Use of the database is voluntary for prescribers — they will not be required to check or submit information to the monitoring program. Dispensers, such as pharmacies, are mandated to submit data to the program, but they are eligible for waivers under special circumstances.

Missouri has been the only state in the country without a statewide prescription drug monitoring program. Earlier this month, Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens signed an executive order that would change that.

On Monday, several council members praised the governor's action, while noting that Springfield's drug monitoring program would go further.

"I think the governor's executive order certainly is a step, but it doesn't provide the doctors and pharmacists access to records," Councilman Richard Ollis said.

Ollis said he doesn't "take any additional government regulation lightly" but believes the issue was studied carefully on a local level.

Fulnecky, the sole vote against implementation, said she doesn't believe there's any hard evidence showing that the databases are effective. She noted that although Missouri doesn't have a statewide monitoring program, it falls in the middle among states in terms of deaths due to opioid abuse.

"I don't think the answer is putting people in a database," she said. "The answer is supporting law enforcement so they can track the illegal activity. The pills, the heroin. It's coming from other countries, from Mexico. I think we need to recognize where it's coming from and not punish law-abiding citizens."

Fulnecky introduced an amendment to the bill at Monday's meeting that would have mandated doctors use the drug monitoring program, but it failed to receive the additional support necessary to be voted on. She later told the News-Leader she wouldn't have supported the measure if her amendment passed, but that she thought a monitoring program would be useless without such language.

Councilman Dr. Tom Prater, speaking to Fulnecky's points, said he believes "most physicians know what the right thing to do is, and they'll participate."

Prater also praised those who worked on the bill "for realizing that being in the middle in terms of opioid deaths is still not acceptable, that we could potentially be at the bottom."

"Let's make a movement in that direction, and this is one of the tools I think could help us do that," Prater said.

Mayor Ken McClure also said he believed his vote in favor of the measure was the most important one he's made during his time on council.

Councilman Craig Hosmer was the one council member absent from Monday's meeting.

Greene County commissioners plan to vote Tuesday on a county-wide prescription drug monitoring program.

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