Vermont Prescription Drug Monitoring (VPMS) – Data Analytics and Surveillance

Vermont Prescription Drug Monitoring (VPMS) – Data Analytics and Surveillance

In 2006, the Vermont Legislature authorized the Vermont Department of Health to establish and operate a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). Vermont’s PDMP, known as the Vermont Prescription Monitoring System (VPMS), became operational in January of 2009. The VPMS is a statewide electronic database of controlled substance prescriptions dispensed from Vermont-licensed pharmacies.

Go to the Vermont Prescription Monitoring System

Vermont-licensed pharmacies are legally obligated to upload data on all dispensed Schedule II, III, and IV controlled substances to VPMS on a weekly basis. Controlled substance data collected from Vermont-licensed pharmacies includes information on the following for each prescription: the prescribed drug, the recipient of the prescribed drug, the health care provider who wrote the prescription, and pharmacy that dispensed the prescription.

VPMS data is used as a clinical tool that exists to promote the appropriate use of controlled substances for legitimate medical purposes, while deterring their misuse, abuse, and diversion.

VPMS data also serves as a health surveillance tool that is used to monitor statewide trends in the prescribing, dispensing, and use of controlled substances. The documents below summarize VPMS’s recent surveillance findings.

Controlled Substance Prescriptions and Recipients by Year

Year Total # of Prescriptions Total # of Recipients % of VT residents
2010 1,070,854 193,035 29%
2011 1,072,062 190,009 28%
2012 1,081,730 186,926 28%
2013 1,083,612 182,885 27%
2014 1,111,471 184,402 29%
2015 1,188,227 176,355 28%

Annual Reports

Quarterly Reports

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

Data Briefs & Data Pages

Special Reports

Opioid Prescriptions and Benzodiazepines

more resources

VPMS Program Home Page
The PDMP Training and Technical Assistance Center