Drug Abuse Surveillance
The not-for-profit Denver Health Foundation operates the RADARS® System (Researched Abuse, Diversion and Addiction-Related Surveillance) to study the prevalence and nature of abuse and diversion of commonly-prescribed opioid analgesics. The System collects timely product- and geographically-specific data that supplement the data collected by federally-funded surveillance systems. The System also calculates rates of abuse, misuse and diversion of the drugs it monitors throughout the United States, contributing to the understanding of trends and aiding the development of effective interventions. The RADARS System is overseen by an independent Scientific Advisory Board composed of leading experts in the study of drug abuse and diversion. The data assist pharmaceutical companies in the fulfillment of their regulatory obligations such as risk evaluation and mitigation strategies (REMS).
The RADARS System was originally developed by Purdue Pharma L.P. in 2001. In 2006, Purdue Pharma transferred the ownership of the System to Denver Health Foundation to facilitate access to the surveillance data it provides by pharmaceutical firms and government agencies.
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