Professional
Technical
IVT
Medication Diversion
Illegal distribution or misuse of prescribed medications outside legitimate medical channels.
Full Definition
Medication diversion encompasses various scenarios where prescription medications are transferred, sold, shared, or otherwise distributed outside proper medical supervision. This includes patients selling their prescribed medications, healthcare workers stealing medications, pharmacy theft, or doctor shopping to obtain multiple prescriptions. In addiction treatment settings, diversion of controlled substances like methadone or buprenorphine poses particular risks and requires specific monitoring protocols and regulatory compliance measures.
Usage
Usage note: Used in regulatory and legal contexts; avoid euphemistic language like 'sharing'.
In Context
- "The clinic implemented stricter medication diversion prevention protocols following the regulatory audit." — Policy documentation
- "Suspected medication diversion requires immediate reporting to both medical licensing boards and law enforcement." — Compliance manual
Also known as
prescription diversion
pharmaceutical diversion
Contrasted with
legitimate use
proper dispensing
Don't confuse with
medication sharing
prescription fraud