I can't believe this isn't already in place.

It involves all the pharmacies upgrading their current software to link, the chain pharmacies have but the individual owners have not necessary bought into the idea, like you, I'm amazed it hasn't, but I had to wonder when I went to a pharmacy at the shopping Ctr and bought some cold & flu tablets and they took my drivers licence to record it, & on the packet they issued there is an attached sticker with a recorded number on it so there must be some sort of system going on.

If the medicine had Pseudoephedrine in it (used to make methamphetamine) then that could be the reason. That's not a new law.

Oh yes Pinkynose, it's definitely due to the pseudoephedrine. I am saddened there is still no mechanism /system in place in place to record patients who go doctor/drug shopping. The opioid epidemic which is now threatening the innocent lives of chronic pain sufferers who get no "high" whatsoever could be significantly reduced if they were to record opioid purchases /script issues across the board as they do pseudoephedrine.

I am a registered S8 user, I willingly signed & approved the registration in 2008, not knowing then it would mean every time I go to ER I'm flagged as a "drug addict". I use the same GP, she rings a number each time I get my scripts, quotes my Medicare number, the amount prescribed, her licence number & reason for medication issue.

I have never misused my medication, but sadly it was made abundantly clear to me this year on or around July 10th when I attended ER by ambulance for the severe pain I was in with my back & I was discharged within 2hrs. The ED treated me in a manner I have never been treated in my life & I know it was because of the S8 register. The ED DR kept saying repeatedly their job was to control my pain & discharge me, she told me to take Panamax every 6hrs, there was no visible fracture & I was there just to get my hands on more drugs. Ironically I had all the drugs I needed at home only they weren't working as there was something wrong, I attended another hospital & I've just had a Retroperitoneal Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion.

Sorry that's off topic, they do have systems available to track I believe it's just all the little pharmacies & chemists don't have the software to link up & I don't know if it will ever become law to make them?

I guess I'm an S8 too, although I never realized it until I read your post. I had back surgery and have been on oxycodone and now oxycontin. The back surgery fixed my back but it wasn't the cause of my SFN. My surgeon insists I just need to give it more time but it's been a year. Without this drug I have chronic burning and no life. I've never been treated the way that ED treated you and I think that is just horrible. People who have not experienced constant pain just don't get it.