The NYPD wants to put GPS devices in pill bottles so they can spy on citizens.

New York - Police in New York City plan to combat the theft of painkillers and other highly addictive prescription medicines by asking pharmacies to hide fake pill bottles fitted with GPS devices amid the legitimate supplies on their shelves.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly outlined the plan Tuesday at a La Quinta, Calif., conference on health issues hosted by former President Bill Clinton's foundation.

While pharmacies elsewhere in the country have experimented with so-called bait bottles in the past couple of years, the New York Police Department would take a more comprehensive approach by encouraging thousands of pharmacists to stock the bottles.

In a more detailed statement provided before his appearance, Kelly says the initiative was prompted by a spate of high-profile crimes associated with the thriving black market for oxycodone and other prescription drugs, including the slaying of four people on Long Island during a pharmacy holdup in 2011. He also cites the case of a retired NYPD officer who, after retiring with an injury and getting hooked on painkillers, began robbing drug stores at gunpoint.

Prescription drug abuse "can serve as a gateway to criminal activities, especially among young people," the commissioner says. "When pills become too expensive, addicts are known to resort to cheaper drugs such as heroin and cocaine. They turn to crime to support their habit."

The NYPD has begun creating a database of the roughly 6,000 pharmacists and 1,800 pharmacies in the New York City area with plans to have officers visit them and recommend security measures like better alarm systems and lighting of storage areas. Kelly says it also will ask them to adopt use of the bottles with GPS devices.

"In the event of a robbery or theft, we'll be able to track the bottle, which may lead us to stash locations across the city," he says.

The devices will be provided by Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of OxyContin, and a private firm will initially monitor them, said NYPD spokesman Paul Browne. 

Purdue Pharma and its independent associated companies (including the Mundipharma/Napp companies) have a presence in more than 30 countries and a staff of more than 5,000.

Once again its a private corporation that stands to profit by spying on Americans.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/15/gps-pill-bottles-nypd-new-york-prescription-drug-theft_n_2478696.html
 

NASCSA receives $200,000 grant from Purdue Pharma L.P. to support state prescription drug monitoring programs.

 

The National Association of State Controlled Substances Authorities (NASCSA) announced receipt of a $200,000 grant from Purdue Pharma L.P. today at the organization’s 28th annual conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. The grant is part of Purdue Pharma’s ongoing efforts to support the operation, expansion and awareness of appropriately-designed state prescription drug monitoring programs, which can be an effective tool to address prescription drug abuse and diversion. Purdue has supported NASCSA efforts to strength and fund state PMPs for the last four years.

 

NASCSA will manage the solicitation, review and funding of grant proposals. State government agencies or departments will be selected based on an independent review by the NASCSA Special Projects Committee, which consists of association members with expertise in the fields of prescription drug abuse and diversion and prescription drug monitoring programs. Purdue Pharma will have no input into the final selection process.

“State budgets are shrinking, but the abuse and diversion of prescription drug problem is a growing concern,” said Ronald J. Klein, RPh, executive officer of the Vermont Board of Pharmacy. “Purdue Pharma’s funding of state prescription drug monitoring programs will help keep these medications out of the wrong hands while ensuring legitimate patients have access to the medications they need.”
The grant monies are scheduled to be distributed by NASCSA to various state government departments or agencies with the ability to accept private funding expressly for their state prescription monitoring program by the end of 2012.

“Since 2001, Purdue Pharma has been working to support the implementation of appropriately-designed prescription monitoring programs as one way to help reduce abuse and diversion of prescription medications,” said Alan Must, vice president of state government and public affairs at Purdue Pharma. “Reducing the abuse of prescription medications will take the combined and coordinated efforts of healthcare professionals, law enforcement, government agencies and local communities. NASCSA is an organization that is uniquely qualified to address the issues of prescription drug abuse from a broad inclusive perspective and we are delighted to provide this funding for this initiative.”
http://www.purduepharma.com/news-media/2012/10/nascsa-receives-200000-grant-from-purdue-pharma-l-p-to-support-state-prescription-drug-monitoring-programs-4/

Rexam has developed RFID enabled plastic pharmaceutical bottles.

Excerpt from Rexam's website:

"Rexam has a comprehensive range of pill jars and closures with tamper evident and child resistant features.

Rexam has developed RFID enabled plastic pharmaceutical bottles with integrated RFID functionality, that allows compliance with FDA recommendations, fully traceable life cycle and counterfeiting prevention.

Supported by Rexam's cGMP manufacturing and using a patented technology, these new bottles allow for greater robustness and reliability of RFID functions. The integration of the tag with the bottles enables traceability from the origin of the process. The pharmaceutical companies do not have to bother anymore with applying tags and checking them: Rexam does it all.?"
http://www.rexam.com/index.asp?PageID=590&Year=2007&NewsID=515&type=product