(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that on or before January 1, 2006, the California District Attorneys Association, in conjunction with interested parties, including, but not limited to, the Department of Justice, the California Narcotic Officers’ Association, the California Police Chiefs’ Association, the California State Sheriffs’ Association, the California Medical Association, the American Pain Society, the American Academy of Pain Medicine, the California Society of Anesthesiologists, the California Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians, the California Medical Board, the California Orthopedic Association, and other medical and patient advocacy entities specializing in pain control therapies, shall develop protocols for the development and implementation of interagency investigations in connection with a physician’s prescription of medication to patients. The protocols are intended to assure the competent review of, and that relevant investigation procedures are followed for, the suspected undertreatment, undermedication, overtreatment, and overmedication of pain cases. Consideration shall be made for the special circumstances of urban and rural communities. The investigation protocol shall be designed to facilitate communication between the medical and law enforcement communities and the timely return of medical records pertaining to the identity, diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment of any patient that are seized by law enforcement from a physician who is suspected of engaging in or having engaged in criminal activity related to the documents.

(b) The costs incurred by the California District Attorneys Association in implementing this section shall be solicited and funded from nongovernmental entities.

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(Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 864, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2005.)