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AG Says Ruling Will Clear Path for Drug Database

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi believes a judge's ruling today will clear the way for the implementation of the state's prescription drug monitoring program.

"The prescription drug database can be an important part of the fight against pill mills," Bondi said in a statement released tonight.

Bondi is clearly at odds with Governor Rick Scott, who advocates killing the database. Scott objects to the program on privacy conerns.

The Florida Legislature passed a law creating the database last year and now there is a division of opinion between the state House and Senate over whether the database should be implemented.

The judge's ruling today dismissed the bid protest that was holding up the database.

Florida is one of a handful of states that does not have the program, which will track prescriptions and hopefully, according to law enforcement, cut down on doctor shopping for prescription drugs. The database will allow doctors and pharmacists to see which prescriptions are being written for patients and for what amount of drugs.  

Investigators say Florida is the destination for people on the "Oxy Express" -- those who travel to Florida to illegally get their hands on valuable drugs that can be sold  for big bucks on the black market.

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