To curb prescription fraud and abuse, the state of Washington will require all prescriptions to be printed on tamper-resistant paper with ink that changes color when rubbed with a finger starting July 1, according to a news story in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
The goal is to prevent people from using fake, stolen, or altered prescriptions to get commonly abused drugs such as Percocet, Ritalin, or Demerol, according to the story.
More than 53,000 healthcare professionals -- including dentists -- are authorized to write prescriptions in Washington, and while 10% to 20% are sent electronically, the rest are printed on prescription pads, Susan Boyer, executive director of the Washington State Board of Pharmacy, told the Post-Intelligencer.
California and New York already have similar measures in place.
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