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Tech Problems Cast Shadow On California's New Prescription Drug Database

Tech Problems Cast Shadow On California's New Prescription Drug Database
There’s a problem with California’s newly upgraded prescription drug database called CURES 2.0.

There’s a problem with California’s newly upgraded prescription drug database called CURES 2.0.

CURES allows physicians to check whether patients are doctor shopping for narcotics and other addictive drugs.

But as it turns out, the new version of the database isn't compatible with the web browsers that many doctors and medical systems use.

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Switching to the latest web browsers isn't necessarily the answer either. For example, Kaiser Permanente spokewoman Amy Thoma said the new Web browsers won't work with their electronic health records system.

“We’re working with the Department of Justice to ensure that there’s a fix, and we encourage our providers to use the CURES system," Thoma said. "We’re working hard to make sure that we’ll be able to.”

The California Medical Association has warned its members about the compatibility problem with CURES. Spokeswoman Molly Weedn said the database could help reduce the problem of prescription drug abuse.

"We just want to make sure that it’s functional and operational and that people can access the information, and that it’s readily available for physicians to be able to use," Weedn said.

The California Department of Justice, which operates CURES, is still planning to run the older CURES database when it unveils CURES 2.0 on July 1. That way doctors and health systems can still access the database while they fix their tech problems.