Federal government must push for prescription monitoring across state lines, Conway says

States like Kentucky that are struggling with prescription pill abuse among its citizens need the federal government to push for a standardized monitoring system, Attorney General Jack Conway said.

Conway called for standardized computer monitoring of prescription pills as part of his remarks Wednesday at the Prescription Drug Abuse Summit hosted by Kentucky’s two U.S. Attorneys at the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center.

“Not just programs that are up and running, but programs that can talk to one another,” Conway said.

Kentucky officials are split over the issue. Gov. Steve Beshear and congressman such as Republican U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers of Somerset have pushed for greater monitoring in other states. Republican U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie of Bowling Green told Pure Politics in January that he would support, in concept, a national monitoring system.

Others, such as U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, have said they haven’t been focused on a proposal like that.

Still, some, such as Republican candidate for Congress Thomas Massie, say they don’t believe the federal government should tell states what to do on the issue.

- Video produced by Greg Pursifull