The goal of a Prescription Monitoring Program is to detect and deter drug __.

• A. Diversion and misuse
• B. Overprescribing
• C. Diversion and abuse
• D. Inappropriate dispensing

Answer: (C)

The main aim is to curb drug diversion and abuse. A Prescription Monitoring Program collects and analyzes prescription data to spot patterns where controlled substances are not used as intended—whether they’re being diverted from legitimate medical channels or used in ways that constitute abuse. Diversion means moving medications away from legitimate patients to others, or to illicit markets. Abuse involves taking meds in a way not prescribed, often to achieve a high or to satisfy dependence. PMPs help prescribers and pharmacists catch warning signs—such as doctor shopping, overlapping prescriptions, or unusually high-dose requests—and intervene to deter these behaviors. While overprescribing or inappropriate dispensing are related concerns, the broader purpose is precisely to detect and prevent both diversion and abuse.