I keep seeing people say that "they" have a databse and they can watch you from a helocopter etc...
Who the heck is they..
Some states are creating databases now. True..Pharmacy A notices Pharmacy X has a customer who has 2 precriptions running with different doctors.. IMO the government is not looking for the people who have some Tylenol 3 and some Ultram and soma. The databases were designed to find the people who have several users, that may be doctor hopping to a point that this "patient" is selling on the streets or is a serious 15 pill a day habit.
As for the US not having the manpower. . . etc. . .they don't need a giant conglomerate at the top; they have local, county, state, regional, and then federal agencies. The reports are gathered, passed along, and dealt with, as many a physician who's been threatened with yanking of her/his DEA license will attest.